OCT    '"    Kn 


'^bhi[,6 


>.!  K,  U    V  -  ■ 


BV  652  . 

N82 

1914 

Nordell, 

Ph 

ilip  Augus 

tus, 

1846- 

The  mode 

irn 

church 

The  Modern  Church 


OCT   7  I9]q 


BY 


PHILIP  A.  NORDELL,  D.D. 


New  York 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S   SONS 

1914 


Copyright  1914 
By  Charles  Scribner's  Sons 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

1 


I  The  Modern  Sunday  School 

II  Why  Pupils  and  Lessons  Should  Be  Graded 

III  Lesson  Systems  of  the  Present  Day     . 

IV  The  Training  of  Teachers    .... 
V  New  Types  of  Sunday  School  Work     . 

VI  Getting  and  Holding  the  Pupils  . 

VII  The  Modern  Pulpit        ..... 

VIII  Public  Worship       ...... 

IX  How  TO  Make  Public  Worship  Effective 

X  The  Prayer  or  Conference  Meeting    . 

XI  Getting  People  to  Church:     General  Conditions 
AND  Problems  .  .  .  .      . 

XII  Getting  People  to  Church:    Local  Conditions  an 
Problems      ....... 

XIII  The  Everyday  Growth  in  Church  Membership 

XIV  Modern  Evangelism        ..... 
XV  Holding  the  Converts  .... 

XVI  The  Member  Who  Moves  Away     . 

XVII  Woman's  Work  in  the  Church       ... 

XVIII  Young  People's  Societies:   History 

XIX  Young  People's  Societies:   Methods 

XX  The  Pastor's  Parish  W^ork   .... 

XXI  Making  Up  a  Church  Budget 

XXII  Raising  Church  Funds 

XXIII  The  Boy  Problem 

XXIV  Modern  Church  Brotherhoods 

in 


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95 

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118 

127 

132 

139 

146 

152, 


iv  Contents 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXV  The  Men's  Campaign  for  Men      .         .         .         .157 

XVI  What  the  City  Problem  Is    .        ^         .         .         .  163 

XXVII  The  Social  Work  of  the  City  Church           .         .  169 

XXVIII  A  Week  in  a  City  Mission    .         .         .         .         .174 

XXIX  Reaching  the  Immigrants       .....  184 

XXX  The  Problem  of  the  Country  Church           .          .  190 

XXXI  New  Life  in  Country  Churches    ....  196 

XXXII  The  Gospel  in  Mining  and  Lumber  Camps             .  202 

XXXIII  How  A  Modern  Missionary  Society  is  Administered*  208 

XXXIV  How  Churches  Advance  with  the  Frontier  .  214 
XXXV    Church  Schools      .         .    - 221 

XXXVI     The  Religious  Press 227 

XXXVII  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations     .         .         .  232 

XXXVIII  Young  Women's  Christian  Associations         .         .  239 

XXXIX  The  Federation  of  Churches         ....  245 

XL  How  THE  Modern  Industrial  Problem  Arose         .  253 

XLI  The  Christian  Ideal  of  Society    ....  258 

XLII  The  Church  and  Industrial  Warfare             .          .  265 

XLIII  The  Church  and  the  Welfare  of  Wage-earners  .  271 

XLIV  The  Church  and  Race  Antagonisms       .          .          .  277 

XLV  The  Church  and  Public  Charities         .         .         .  284 

XLVI  Recent  Phases  of  the  Liquor  Question        .         .  290 

XLVII  Juvenile  Law  Breakers          .          .  "       .         .          .  296 

XLVIII  Prisons  and  Prisoners  ......  303 

XLIX  Enemies  of  the  Family           .         .         .         .         .310 

L  The  Church  and  the  Public  Schools    .         .         .316 

LI    World  Peace 321 

LII    Church  Members  as  Voters 328 


DIRECTIONS    FOR  STUDY. 

The  Lesson  Notes.  The  Lesson  Notes  are  merely  outlines 
of  the  subjects  stated  in  the  Lesson  Titles.  While  designed 
to  give  a  fair  idea  of  the  subject,  they  should  be  supplemented 
by  further  reading.  Most  of  the  books  recommended  for  ad- 
ditional reading  ought  to  be  generally  accessible.  As  all  the 
subjects  included  in  the  course  have  an  immediate  and  living 
interest,  they  are  frequently  discussed  in  religious  newspapers 
or  periodicals  such  as  "  The  Independent  "  or  "  The  Outlook." 
Teachers  and  students  would  be  greatly  helped  by  clipping 
out  all  material  of  this  kind  and  preserving  it  in  envelopes 
on  which  the  Lesson  Titles  have  been  written,  and  also  refer- 
ences to  books  or  magazines.  This  material  can  afterwards 
be  put  into  a  scrap-book,  and  additions  made  to  it  year  after 
year,  resulting  in  a  valuable  collection  of  current  comments 
on  the  life  of  the  modem  church. 

The  Questions  on  the  Lesson.  These  are  designed  not  so 
much  for  use  in  the  class  as  for  tests  by  which  the  student  may 
determine  how  clearly  he  has  grasped  the  contents  of  the  Lesson 
Notes.  It  will  be  a  great  help  to  write  brief  answers  in  the 
spaces  left  for  that  piu-pose.  If  this  is  done  at  home,  the  class 
hour,  instead  of  being  spent  in  rehearsing  the  contents  of  the 
notes,  may  be  saved  almost  wholly  for  discussing  the  practical 
questions  for  which  the  Lesson  Notes  and  the  Note-book  Work 
lay  the  foimdations. 

The  Questions  for  Class  Discussion.  These  are  intended 
to  present  for  mutual  and  helpful  consideration  matters  of 
practical  interest  to  the  class  as  members  of  the  Sunday  school, 
the  church,  the  surrounding  community  or  the  nation  at  large. 
The  questions  in  each  case  spring  naturally  from  the  matters 
considered  in  the  Lesson  Notes  and  from  those  suggested  for 
special  study.  The  practical  value  of  this  course  will  be  in 
large  measure  derived  from  an  intelligent  consideration  of  these 
questions. 


The  Modern  Church 


Lesson  1.     THE  MODERN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL. 

Scripture  Reading:    An  Ancient  Open-air  Bible  School.     Neh.  ch.  8. 

Note  1.  Why  Begin  with  the  Sunday  School?  A  student 
of  botany  may  approach  the  study  of  a  wayside  flower  through 
a  previous  study  of  the  vegetable  kingdom  as  a  whole.  Or 
he  may  reverse  the  process,  and,  beginning  with  the  wayside 
flower,  extend  his  investigations  and  generalizations  tmtil  he  has 
covered  the  whole  world  of  plants.  So  a  student  of  The  Modern 
Church  may  begin  with  the  ideal  Kingdom  of  God  and  its 
concrete  embodiment  in  the  Christian  church,  and  follow 
this  by  a  detailed  study  of  the  agencies  by  which  the  church 
in  scores  of  ways  is  seeking  to  realize  her  mission.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  student,  if  he  is  a  member  of  a  Simday  school, 
may  start  from  this  institution  and  step  by  step  work  out 
through  the  local  chiu-ch  into  a  survey  of  the  church's  world- 
wide activities.  For  our  present  purpose  the  latter  method 
has  the  advantage  of  beginning  with  a  concrete  subject  which 
has  immediate  and  permanent  interest.  Furthermore,  this 
lesson,  and  those  immediately  following  it,  are  intended  to 
assist  the  members  of  the  class  not  only  to  understand  the  real 
purpose  of  their  own  school,  but  to  gather  such  facts  concerning 
it  as  will  lead  to  a  better  idea  of  its  needs  and  to  more  deter- 
mined efforts  to  supply  them. 

Note  2.  Origin  and  Growth  of  the  Sunday  School.  The 
duty  of  giving  religious  instruction  to  the  people,  and  especially 
to  the  young,  was  perceived  long  before  any  one  thought  of 
Sunday  schools.  Centuries  before  the  Christian  era  Israel 
was  exhorted  to  remember  Jehovah's  great  deeds  for  the 
nation  and  "  to  make  them  known  luito  thy  children  and  thy 
children's  children  "(Deut.  4:9;  comp.  6:6,  7,  20-25).  Ezra's 
great  assembly  was  called  for  the  purpose  of  giving  popular 
instruction  in  the  Law  (Neh.  ch.  8).  In  process  of  time  the 
synagogue,  which  had  grown  up  in  the  Babylonian  exile  as  a 
place  for  local  worship,  became  also  the  local  school  in  which 
the. Old  Testament  scriptures  were  the  main  text-book.     In 

1 


2  The  Modern  Church  ^''^'^ 

the  time  of  Jesus  every  Jewish  village  had  its  synagogue.  The 
larger  towns  had  several.  Jerusalem  was  said  to  have  had 
over  four  hundred.  The  Hebrew  sages  and  rabbis  were  thus 
the  real  pioneers  in  reHgious  education.  Jesus  Himself  "  went 
about  teaching"  (Mt.  4:23),  and  His  disciples  did  the  same 
(Acts  5 :  42) .  From  the  earliest  centuries  the  giving  of  religious 
instruction  has  ranked  as  one  of  the  foremost  duties  of  the 
church. 

As  a  distinct  institution,  however,  the  modem  Sunday  school 
dates  back  only  to  1780,  when  Robert  Raikes  in  Gloucester, 
England,  began  gathering  ignorant  and  neglected  children 
from  the  streets  to  teach  them  reading,  writing,  and  reHgion. 
His  teachers  were  several  elderly  women  whom  he  paid  a  shilling 
apiece  for  seven  and  a  half  hours'  service.  That  such  an  enter- 
prise should  have  met  violent  opposition  from  the  religious 
leaders,  and  especially  from  the  higher  clergy  of  the  established 
church,  seems  almost  incredible  to-day.  It  was  denounced 
as  destructive  of  family  religion,  and  as  subversive  of  peace 
and  order  in  church  and  state.  Raikes  nevertheless  persisted 
in  pushing  his  enterprise.  In  seven  years  from  the  opening 
of  his  first  school  the  movement  included  250,000  children. 
From  1785  to  1800  above  $20,000  was  expended  in  the  payment 
of  teachers.  Before  long  his  **  charity  schools,"  as  they  were 
called,  became,  in  the  absence  of  a  public  school  system,  the 
common  means  of  providing  education  for  the  poor.  This 
was  the  real  origin  of  the  English  system  of  state  schools. 

In  the  United  States  Sunday  schools,  though  at  first  en- 
cotmtering  some  opposition,  have  almost  always  been  under 
the  fostering  care  of  the  churches,  and  have  been  recognized 
as  an  important  part  of  their  work.  The  Sunday  school  has 
usually  been  held  in  the  church  building  and  it  has  made  the 
Bible  and  Catechism  its  chief  text-books.  The  children  were 
not  only  waifs  gathered  from  the  streets,  but  also  those  from 
the  well-to-do  families  in  the  parish. 

The  first  united  effort  to  promote  the  interests  of  Sunday 
schools  was  made  in  Philadelphia  in  1791,  when  "  The  First 
Day  or  Sunday  School  Society  "  was  founded.  Since  then 
organized  Sunday  school  work  has  become  the  most  popular 
and  extensive  religious  movement  in  the  world.  Its  importance 
has  been  recognized  not  only  among  all  Protestant  denomina- 
tions, but  among  Roman  Cathohcs,  Jews,  Mormons,  and 
Christian  Scientists.     Unions,  institutes,  societies,  commissions, 


One  The  Modern  Sunday  School  3 

and  conventions  have  sprung  up  in  all  Christian  lands.  Un- 
questionably the  most  powerful  agency  in  promoting  this 
extraordinary  progress  ahke  in  the  establishment  of  schools, 
in  the  introduction  of  better  methods,  and  in  the  unification 
of  the  world-wide  Sunday  school  movement  has  been  the 
International  Stmday  School  Association.  This  grew  in  1875 
out  of  the  National  Sunday  School  Association,  which  was 
organized  in  1832,  but  which  in  the  meantime  had  met  only 
in  1833,  1859,  1868,  and  1872.  The  last  of  these,  held  at 
Indianapolis,  witnessed  the  adoption  of  the  Uniform  Lesson 
System,  which  quickly  spread  over  the  entire  Christian  world. 
The  next  great  step  of  progress  was  taken  at  Louisville  in  1908 
when  the  International  Graded  Lesson  System  was  adopted. 
So  thoroughgoing  and  far-reaching  has  been  the  work  of  the 
International  Sunday  School  Association  that  at  the  present 
time  a  church  without  a  Sunday  school  is  virtually  incon- 
ceivable, and  thousands  of  Sunday  schools  exist  where  there 
are  no  churches.  The  enrolled  membership  of  all  ages  and 
nationalities  foots  up  over  thirty  millions. 

No  such  prejudice  as  was  at  first  directed  against  Raikes 
has  obstructed  the  gro^vth  of  Sunday  schools  in  this  coimtry 
where  from  the  first  they  have  been  under  church  supervision. 
From  the  first,  also,  they  have  been  able  to  give  exclusive 
attention  to  religious  instruction  since  the  public  schools 
provided  secular  education.  For  almost  a  centruy  after  their 
establishment  the  main  effort  was  directed  toward  organiza- 
tion. The  Simday  school  was  regarded  as  a  mere  "  nursery," 
from  which  after  a  period  of  suitable  culture  the  members 
could  be  transplanted  into  the  church  for  permanent  growth. 
Naturally  the  success  of  any  school  was  measured  largely  by 
the  number  of  attendants.  Extraordinary  efforts  were  made 
to  get  all  the  people  into  it,  and  to  plant  new  schools  in  all 
imoccupied  places. 

These  efforts  "  to  increase  the  attendance  "  were  foUowed 
by  a  great  wave  of  enthusiasm  for  Bible  study.  The  emphasis 
was  transferred  from  the  organization  to  the  book.  The  former 
was  regarded  merely  as  a  happy  instrument  for  imparting 
knowledge  of  Biblical  facts  and  teachings  as  a  step  toward 
conversion  and  church  membership.  How  to  teach  the  Bible 
to  persons  of  all  ages  became  a  momentous  question.  In 
response  to  it,  courses  of  lectures  were  instituted  in  a  multitude 
of  commvinities,  and  numerous  svimmer  schools  invited  eager 


4  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

students  from  all  directions.  As  a  result  of  this  concentrated 
attention  upon  Bible  study  the  Sunday  school  itself  came 
somewhat  generally  to  be  thought  of  as  the  Bible  school. 
This  conception  held  the  ground  until  the  close  of  the  last 
century. 

Note  3.  The  New  Emphasis.  In  this  enormous  Sunday 
school  development  the  leaders  partially  lost  sight  of  the  simple 
and  wise  piu'pose  for  which  Robert  Raikes  established  his 
schools.  In  his  mind  the  schools  existed  for  the  sake  of  the 
children,  and  not  the  children  for  the  sake  of  the  schools. 
The  latter  were  not  primarily  "  ntirseries  for  the  church," 
nor  institutions  for  promoting  knowledge  of  the  Bible,  but 
serious  attempts  to  save  the  children  from  ignorance  and  vice 
to  better  lives  for  themselves,  for  the  church  and  for  the  world. 
To  this  end  he  used  as  tools  all  suitable  books  that  came  into 
his  hands  including  the  Bible.  But  later  leaders,  in  their 
enthusiasm  for  increasing  the  church  membership,  and  for  the 
promotion  of  Bible  study,  to  a  certain  extent  failed  to  get 
the  point  of  view  of  a  present,  continuous  religious  growth 
of  the  child.     This  failure  could  not  go  on  forever. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  last  century  many  social  and  educa- 
tional movements  combined  to  swing  the  Sunday  school  back 
to  its  true  purpose.  The  teachings  of  Pestalozzi  and  Froebel 
had  revolutionized  primary  instruction  in  other  schools.  Scien- 
tific investigation  of  the  nature  of  the  child  had  shown  the  fal- 
lacy of  the  old  notion  that  the  child  is  merely  a  small  adult 
and  that  what  is  suitable  instruction  for  the  latter  must  be 
equally  adapted  to  the  former.  In  all  problems  having  to  do 
with  religious  education  it  had  become  increasingly  clear  that 
the  most  hopeful  solutions  must  be  reached  by  working  in 
harmony  with  the  laws  of  the  human  personality ._  Expert 
teachers,  moreover,  who  had  been  invited  to  popularize  better 
methods  of  Bible  study,  woke  up  to  the  fact  that  the  Sunday 
school,  instead  of  being  an  object  of  ridicule  and  scorn,  might 
be  made  a  most  effective  agency  for  promoting  the  highest 
type  of  religious  education.  Active  co-operation  on  the  part 
of  the  foremost  religious  teachers  in  the  country  was  enlisted 
in  a  movement  for  lifting  it  to  a  degree  of  efficiency  in  its 
specific  work  comparable  with  that  of  the  public  schools. 
The  results  are  seen  in  a  transformation  of  aims  and  methods 
that  a  few  years  ago  would  have  been  pronounced  impossible 


One 


The  Modern  Sunday  School 


and  visionary.  The  Sunday  school  is  now  coming  into  its 
own  place.  The  aim  toward  which  its  efforts  are  directed  is 
the  development  of  Christian  character  and  training  for  Chris- 
tian service  through  the  teaching  of  religious  truth  in  forms  most 
suited  to  the  successive  stages  of  human  growth.  This  is  the  new 
emphasis  that  since  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  is 
being  laid  on  the  mission  of  the  Simday  school  and  that  under 
wise  leadership  is  swinging  it  into  line  with  the  world's  best 
educational  thought. 

Note  4.  Importance  of  the  Modem  Sunday  School.  When 
Jesus  renewed  Peter's  Apostolic  commission,  His  first  command 
was  "  Feed  my  Lambs."  Not  until  Jesus  had  cared  for  these 
did  He  bid  him,  "Tend  my  sheep"  (Jo.  21:15,  16).  The 
foremost  duty  of  the  church  is  to  provide  religious  training 
for  the  yoimg.  The  whole  future  of  the  church  depends  on 
it.  In  this  respect  the  Roman  Catholic  church  is  far  in  advance 
of  her  Protestant  neighbors.  The  Catholics  hold  their  great 
congregations  with  a  remarkably  firm  grip  because  they  know 
and  practise  the  art  of  holding  the  children,  Francis  Xavier 
said,  "  Give  me  the  children  until  they  are  seven  years  of  age, 
and  any  one  may  take  them  afterwards."  When  the  Protestant 
Reformation  was  threatening  the  existence  of  the  Catholic 
church,  the  Jesuits  arrested  its  progress  by  becoming  the  best 
teachers  in  Europe  and  then  gathering  the  children  of  Prot- 
estants into  their  schools.  The  latter  in  many  cases  have 
trusted  too  much  to  mere  conversion  as  a  means  of  recruiting 
their  ranks,  and  have  too  often  neglected  religious  training 
as  a  preparation  for  conversion  and  as  a  subsequent  means 
of  holding  the  converts.  In  view  of  ^he  fact  that  only  about 
ten  per  cent,  of  the  commiuiicants  in  Protestant  churches 
have  joined  after  they  were  over  twenty  years  of  age,  and  the 
further  fact  that  of  the  remaining  ninety  per  cent,  fully  eighty- 
three  have  come  directly  from  the  Sunday  school,  little  argu- 
ment would  seem  to  be  needed  to  prove  its  immense  importance 
as  a  means  for  reaching  and  holding  the  young  for  God  and  for 
humanity.  In  proportion  to  the  expenditure  of  effort,  time 
and  money  no  department  of  chtu-ch  work  begins  to  yield  so 
rich  a  harvest.  The  gravest  peril  that  confronts  Protestant 
churches  to-day  is  the  drifting  away  of  the  children  to  increase 
the  already  alarmingly  numerous  non-churchgoing  masses. 
The  strongest  and  most  prosperous  chvirches  are  usually  those 


6  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^°" 

that  have  given  the  most  intelHgent  attention  to  their  Sunday 
schools.  Protestantism's  chief  hope  for  the  future  Hes  in 
increasing  the  efficiency  of  these  schools  to  the  highest  pitch, 
by  all  possible  means,  and  at  any  cost. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Cope:  The  Evolution  of  the  Sunday  School,  Boston,  1911,  pp.  3-90. 
{2)  Haslett:  The  Pedagogical  Bible  School,  New  York  and  Chicago,  1903, 
pp.  17-48.  (5)  Mead:  Modern  Methods  in  Sunday  School  Work,  New  York, 
1903,  pp.  15-23.  U)  Coe:  Education  in  Religion  and  Morals,  New  York 
and  Chicago,  1909,  pp.  286-287.     {5)  Smith:   The  Sunday  School  of  To-day. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Why  do  we  begin  this  course  on  The  Modern  Church  by  a  study  of 
the  Sunday  school? 


2.  What  importance  was  attached  to  religious  training  in  Old  and  New 
Testament  times? 


3.  State  briefly  how  the  modern  Sunday  school  came  into  existence. 


4.  How  did  the  early  Sunday  schools  of  this  country  difler  from  those 
of  England? 


5.  Describe  the  growth  of  the  Sunday  school  movement  until  the  present 
time. 


6.  What  prejudice  retarded  for  a  time  the  growth  of  Sunday  schools 
in  Great  Britain? 


7.  What  main  purposes  dominated  the  Sunday  schools  in  this  country 
during  the  nineteenth  century? 


Two  Why  Pupils  and  Lessons  Should  he  Graded  7 

8.  Mention  some  of  the  causes  that  have  given  a  new  direction  to 
Sunday  school  aims  and  methods. 


9.  What  is  the  new  emphasis? 


10.  What  is  the  value  of  the  Sunday  school  as  compared  with  other 
forms  of  religious  work? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

(See  Directions  for  Study.) 

1.  How  does  the  attendance  in  your  Sunday  school  compare  with  that 
at  public  worship? 

2.  From  a  careful  study  of  your  school  as  now  conducted  what  seems 
to  be  its  main  purpose? 

3.  How  does  the  amount  expended  for  its  maintenance  compare  with 
the  expenditures  for  preaching  and  music? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Can  you  explain  why  the  Sunday  school  usually  receives  only  a 
pittance  of  the  money  raised  for  the  religious  work  of  the  church;  or  why 
it  is  often  asked  not  merely  to  support  itself  but  to  contribute  toward  other 
expenses? 

2.  In  view  of  the  percentage  of  additions  to  the  church  membership 
from  the  Sunday  school  what  would  you  consider  the  duty  of  the  church 
toward  its  support? 

3.  What  should  be  the  chief  purpose  of  the  collection  in  the  Sunday  school; 
should  it  be  financial  or  educational? 


Lesson  2.    WHY  PUPILS   AND   LESSONS   SHOULD   BE 

GRADED. 

Scripture  Reading:  The  Religious  Education  of  Children. 
Deut.  6:4-9,  20-25. 

Note  1.    Public  Schools  and  Sunday  Schools  Compared. 

The  public  school  system  of  the  United  States  is  the  pride  of 
its  citizens.  The  cost  of  maintaining  it  is  assessed  on  the 
entire  community.  No  tax  is  more  cheerfully  paid  than  that 
which  provides  adequate  housing  for  the  pupils  and  the  most 


8  The  Modern  Church  ^"^^ 

approved  equipment  for  the  school.  The  teachers  are  trained 
for  their  profession,  and  usually  with  the  intention  of  making 
it  a  life  work.  The  pupils  are  of  the  ordinary  school  age. 
Each  week  during  the  school  period  the  attendance  is  compul- 
sory for  five  days,  or  from  twenty  to  thirty  hours.  Pupils 
are  graded  according  to  their  attainments.  Promotions  from 
grade  to  grade  follow  satisfactory  examinations.  The  study 
material  and  the  text-books  are  adjusted  to  the  ages  and 
capacities  of  the  pupils.  And,  finally,  the  methods  employed 
are  based  on  educational  principles. 

In  most  of  these  respects  even  the  better  grade  of  modern 
Simday  schools  lags  far  behind.  Usually  the  school  pays  its 
own  way.  The  school  room  has  been  built  for  other  purposes. 
The  equipment  is  meagre.  The  teachers  are  unpaid  and  have 
no  special  training.  The  children  and  the  adults  who  make 
up  the  attendance  come  and  go  as  they  please.  Neither  pupils 
nor  lessons  are  graded.  The  time  devoted  to  it  is  little  more 
than  an  hour  a  week,  and  often  there  is  no  home  study.  Pupils 
remain  with  the  same  teacher  year  after  year,  and  the  most 
obvious  educational  principles  and  laws  of  mental  growth  are 
ignored. 

One  of  the  most  hopeful  present  signs  is  the  wide-spread  and 
earnest  efforts  made  to  remedy  these  defects.  While  the 
Sunday  school,  in  view  of  its  obvious  limitations,  cannot  com- 
pete with  the  public  school,  yet  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the 
latter  has  set  a  standard  which  the  former  within  its  sphere 
cannot  safely  ignore.  Consecration  alone  will  not  enable  a 
teacher  to  make  bricks  without  straw.  How  far  the  methods 
of  the  day  school  can  be  adapted  to  the  Sunday  school,  and 
how  to  do  so  most  effectively,  are  among  the  pressing  problems 
of  our  time. 

Note  2.     The   Grades  in  a  Modem  Sunday  School.    The 

Sunday  school,  if  we  include  the  Cradle  Roll  and  the  Home 
Department,  runs  through  the  whole  gamut  of  human  life. 
Manifestly  some  sort  of  grading  is  imperative.  This  is  simply 
a  recognition  of  the  grades  already  established  by  age.  No 
one  would  think  of  putting  a  child  and  its  grandfather  into  the 
same  class. 

But  children  of  the  same  age  vary  greatly  in  ability  and 
attainments.  After  the  members  of  the  school  have  been 
roughly  graded  according  to  age,  they  should  individually  be 


Two 


Why  Pupils  mtd  Lessons  Should  be  Graded 


tested  as  to  their  attainments  and  placed  in  classes  where 
they  can  reap  the  most  benefits.  When  the  men  and  women 
have  been  separated  into  an  Adult  Department,  there  remains 
the  great  body  of  the  school  composed  of  children  and  youths 
ranging  from  three  to  twenty  years  of  age.  The  systematic 
and  scientific  study  bestowed  on  the  child  in  recent  years  has 
sho^vn  that  during  this  period  the  developing  personality  passes 
through  several  stages  marked  by  distinctive  peculiarities. 
These  stages  have  no  exact,  but  only  approximate,  age  limits, 
because  some  children  develop  faster  than  others.  Ordinarily 
five  are  recognized :  (1)  Earlier  childhood,  from  three  to  five  years 
inclusive;  (2)  later  childhood,  from  six  to  eight;  (3)  boyhood  and 
girlhood,  from  nine  to  twelve;  (4)  earlier  adolescence,  thirteen  to 
sixteen;  and  (5)  later  adolescence,  from  seventeen  to  twenty-four 
or  more.  The  corresponding  departments  in  the  Sunday  school 
are  {1)  the  Kindergarten,  or  Beginners';  (2)  the  Primary;  (3)  the 
Junior;  (4)  the  Intermediate;  and  (5)  the  Senior.  The  Adult 
Department  includes  all  over  twenty  years  of  age.  The  division 
between  the  primary  and  junior  grades,  as  well  as  between 
the  senior  and  adult,  is  not  so  sharply  drawn  as  absolutely  to 
forbid  their  being  imited.  This  is  often  done.  But  the  pre- 
vailing disposition  among  the  leaders  in  Sunday  school  educa- 
tion is  to  recognize  these  six  stages,  and  to  retain  the  corre- 
sponding grades. 

Note  3.     The  Plea  for  Ungraded  Biblical  Lessons.     In  the 

Stmday  school  the  feeling  has  long  prevailed  that  somehow 
religious  education  is  so  different  from  secular  education  that 
it  can  be  conducted  in  a  wholly  different  way.  Moreover, 
the  chief  text-book,  the  Bible,  has  been  placed  apart  from  other 
literature  in  a  class  by  itself.  It  is  the  word  of  God  free  from 
all  human  defects  and  limitations.  Every  sentence,  it  has 
been  claimed,  must  therefore  have  some  religious  value  for  every 
reader  of  every  age,  capacity,  and  range  of  cidture.  If  this 
were  true,  then  any  passage  can  be  taken  as  a  lesson  for  the  entire 
school.  According  to  this  theory,  a  simple  children's  story, 
that  of  Elijah  and  the  ravens,  can  be  made  to  yield  teachings 
fit  for  adults  to  struggle  with,  or  a  profoimdly  philosophical 
or  theological  passage  from  Job  or  Romans  can  be  toned  do-^ia 
to  the  spiritual  needs  of  babes.  The  inevitable  result  of  trying 
to  use  lesson  material  either  above  or  below  the  pupil's  capacity 
is  that  teachers  in  that  part  of  the  school  for  which  any  given 


10  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°'» 

lesson  is  unstiited  are  forced  to  swing  away  from  the  real  lesson 
to  themes  only  remotely  suggested  by  it.  The  skill  of  the 
teacher  is  then  shown,  not  in  teaching  the  lesson,  but  in  dis- 
covering far-fetched  applications  which  it  was  never  designed 
to  suggest.  The  lesson  becomes  thus,  not  a  text  to  be  studied, 
but  a  mere  pretext  on  which  to  hang  any  ideas  that  can  be 
used  to  fill  the  class  hour. 

Note  4.  Why  Lessons  should  be  Graded.  A  child  and  a 
man  may  walk  hand  in  hand,  but  they  cannot  keep  step. 
The  same  is  true  of  the  intellectual  life.  The  adult  has  out- 
grown the  mental  processes  of  childhood.  "  When  I  was  a 
child  I  spake  as  a  child,  ...  I  thought  as  a  child :  now  that  I  am 
become  a  man,  I  put  away  childish  things"  (1  Cor.  13:11). 
This  is  the  law  of  universal  progress.  In  Old  Testament  times 
strong  emphasis  was  put  on  the  religious  training  of  the  young. 
Israel  had  "  the  testimonies,  and  the  statutes,  and  the  ordi- 
nances "  of  Jehovah.  But -they  were  not  taught  to  the  children 
as  abstract  legal  principles.  The  great  teachers  of  Israel 
understood  how  stories  of  heroic  deeds  and  marvelous  occur- 
rences appeal  to  the  young,  and  therefore  the  statutes  and 
ordinances  were  recast  into  thrilling  narratives  of  the  oppres- 
sion in  Egypt,  of  the  deliverance  by  Jehovah's  mighty  hand, 
and  of  "  the  signs  and  wonders,  great  and  sore  "  which  Jehovah 
showed  upon  the  Egyptians  (Deut.  6:20-23).  The  Bible  with 
its  marvelous  richness  and  variety  contains  much  that  children 
can  understand  and  enjoy,  but  by  far  the  larger  part  is  beyond 
them.  To  ignore  this  fact  is  like  ignoring  the  fitness  of  milk 
for  babes  and  strong  meat  for  men.  Consecrated  men  and 
women,  solicitous  for  the  welfare  of  the  child  as  well  as  the 
interests  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  could  not  remain  umnindful 
of  the  defects  in  a  system  that  reversed  this  principle.  Hence 
arose  an  insistent  demand  for  a  change.  More  or  less  success- 
ful efforts  were  made  by  private  publishers  to  provide  truly 
graded  lessons,  and  thousands  of  schools  adopted  them.  It 
was  in  the  primary  grades  that  the  unsuitableness  of  uniform 
lessons  w^as  most  keenly  felt  and  it  was  here  that  the  first 
break  occurred.  Finally,  at  the  International  Sunday  School 
Convention  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  1908,  the  whole  problem  of 
graded  lessons  had  to  be  fairly  faced.  Was  the  Convention 
willing  to  undertake  the  inspiring  task  that  men  of  large  vision 
and  the  whole  trend  of  modem  thought  were  forcing  upon  it? 


^o  Why  Pupils  and  Lessons  Should  be  Graded  11 

Without  a  dissenting  voice  the  Convention  rose  to  the  occasion 
and  accepted  leadership  in  one  of  the  most  momentous  forward 
movements  undertaken  by  the  modem  church. 

Some  of  the  causes  that  brought  about  this  result  are  the 
following : 

(1)  A  better  understanding  of  the  fact  that  the  mind  as 
well  as  the  body  at  various  stages  of  growth  requires  appropriate 
notirishment. 

(2)  A  necessity  for  removing  the  impression  made  on  pupils 
that  the  subjects  taught  in  the  Simday  school  are  less  im- 
portant than  those  taught  in  the  day  school. 

(3)  The  superior  lessons  issued  by  private  publishers.  Among 
these  the  eariiest  and  most  widely  circulated  were  the  Bible 
Study  Union  Lessons,  partly  graded;  the  Constructive  Bible 
Studies  of  the  Chicago  University  Press;  the  series  issued  by 
the  Unitarian  Association,  and  that  prepared  for  Episcopal 
schools  by  the  New  York  Sunday  School  Commission.  Various 
isolated  text-books  were  also  issued,  especially  for  younger  classes, 

(4)  One  of  the  large  factors  in  creating  an  intelligent  demand 
for  a  thoroughly  graded  curriculum  has  been  the  Religious 
Education  Association.  This  organization  came  into  existence 
in  1903.  Its  membership  includes  the  leaders  in  all  depart- 
ments of  religious  education.  While  it  has  studiously  refrained 
from  competing  with  existing  publishing  houses,  it  has  most 
effectively  permeated  the  Sunday  school  world  with  a  sense 
of  the  necessity  of  adapting  the  lesson  material  to  the  mental 
and  spiritual  capacity  of  children  and  youth  in  their  successive 
stages  of  growth. 

{5)  These  various  movements  stirred  up  a  feeling  of  unrest 
in  several  of  the  leading  denominations  connected  with  the 
International  Sunday  School  Association.  The  conviction 
rapidly  gained  ground  that  Sunday  schools  had  too  long  been 
tied  up  to  a  system  which,  whatever  its  value  in  the  past,  was 
radically  wrong  in  principle,  and  that  the  time  was  ripe  for  a 
complete  change. 

It  is  thus  seen  that  the  Sunday  school,  in  order  to  become 
an  efficient  instrument  in  promoting  religious  education  in 
its  widest  sense,  is  now  being  swung  into  the  ciurent  of  the 
world's  best  thought.  To  meet  these  new  requirements  it 
must  grade  its  pupils,  and  it  must  furnish  instruction  of  so  high 
a  grade  as  to  show  that,  so  far  as  its  limitations  permit,  it  is 
on  a  level  with  the  best  educational  efforts  of  our  time. 


1^  The  Modern  Ckitrck  ^"^^^ 

Note  5.    Results  of  Grading  Pupils  and  Lessons.     {1)  The 

bringing  together  pupils  of  approximately  the  same  age  and 
capacity  makes  equal  progress  possible. 

{2)  An  adjustment  of  the  lesson  material  to  the  average 
capacity  of  the  class  provides  an  important  condition  for 
interesting  the  pupils  in  their  work. 

{3)  Grading  the  pupils  and  lessons  makes  progress  definite 
and  thus  makes  definite  standards  possible. 

(4)  The  efficiency  of  the  teacher  can  be  increased  by  specializ- 
ing on  one  grade.  By  working  in  one  grade  year  after  year 
the  teacher  acquires  a  greater  knowledge  of  the  pupils,  greater 
familiarity  with  the  subject,  and  corresponding  proficiency  in 
handling  it. 

{5)  Pupils  can  thus  have  the  advantage  during  some  periods 
of  their  school  work  of  contact  with  the  best  teachers. 

{6)  Provision  can  be  made  for  spiritual  growth  at  every 
age  of  the  pupil.  There  will  be  no  need  of  waiting  for  a  time 
when  he  shall  be  prepared  to  enter  upon  a  Christian  life. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Cope:  The  Modern  Sunday  School  in  Principle  and  Practice,  New 
York  and  Chicago,  1907,  pp.  61-73.  {2)  Report  of  the  Twelfth  International 
Sunday  School  Convention,  speech  by  M.  C.  Hazard,  pp.  532-536.  {3) 
Mead:  Modern  Methods  in  Sunday  School  Work,  New  York,  1903,  pp. 
24-26.  (4)  Burton  and  Mathews :  Principles  and  Ideals  for  the  Sunday 
School,  Chicago,  1903,  pp.  123-140.  (5)  Smith:  The  Sunday  School  of 
To-day,  New  York  and  Chicago. 

REVIEW   QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  was  the  origin  of  the  modern  Sunday  school? 

2.  What  was  the  original  purpose  of  the  Sunday  school? 

3.  What  other  purposes  became  prominent  during  the  last  century? 

4.  On  what  does  the  modern  Sunday  school  place  its  chief  emphasis? 

5.  How  can  we  make  up  our  minds  as  to  whether  the  Sunday  school  is 
important  or  not? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  State  briefly  some  of  the  more  obvious  differences  between  the  day 
school  and  the  Sunday  School. 


2.  Name  the  several  stages  that  appear  in  the  development  of  children 
and  youth. 


Two  Why  Pupils  and  Lessons  Should  be  Graded  13 

3.  What  departments  in  the  Sunday  school  correspond  to  these  stages 
of  growth? 


4.  What  place  has  been  made  in  favor  of  uniform  lessons? 


5.  How  and  when  did  graded  lessons  win  recognition  alongside  of  the 
uniform  lesson  system? 


6.  State  some  of  the  reasons  why  graded  lessons  have  won  this  recogni- 
tion. 


7.  What  are  some  of  the  advantages  derived  from  grading  pupils  and 
lessons? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Collect  information  about  difficulties  experienced  with  the  uniform 
lessons. 

2.  Look  up  the  history  of  the  Bible  Study  Union  Lessons. 

3.  What  is  the  greatest  range  of  ages  in  any  class  in  your  school  below 
the  adult  department? 

4.  At  what  age  are  boys  separated  from  girls?    Why? 

5.  What  classes  are  taught  by  men,  and  what  ones  b}^  women?    Why? 

6.  Observe  the  plays  and  games  of  children  of  six  to  eight  years  of  age, 
and  then  children  from  twelve  to  fifteen.  Write  down  for  your  own  use, 
and  later  tell  your  class  what  differences  you  have  observed. 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

What  can  our  Sunday  school  learn  from  the  day  schools? 

The  discussion  of  this  question  will  include  (a)  what  can  be  taken  over, 
and  {b)  what  cannot  be. 

Write  to  Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  153  Fifth  Ave.,  New  York,  for  infor- 
mation. 


14  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^•'^ 

Lesson  3.     LESSON  SYSTEMS  OF  THE  PRESENT  DAY. 

Scripture  Reading:  Milk  for  Babes.    Heb.  ch.  5. 

Note  1.  Earlier  Steps  of  Progress.  The  lesson  systems 
in  use  at  the  present  time  are  the  results  of  more  than  a  century 
of  experiments.  The  curriculum  in  the  "  charity  schools  " 
foimded  by  Raikes  embraced  elementary  instruction  in  reading, 
writing,  arithmetic,  and  religion.  The  first  radical  change  was 
made  when  the  secular  branches  were  dropped  and  instruction 
was  confined  to  the  Bible  and  the  catechism.  These  were 
not  studied,  but  committed  to  memory.  The  catechisms 
dated  from  the  reformation  period  when  each  of  the  leading 
Protestant  bodies  undertook  to  formulate  its  beliefs  in  a  series 
of  questions  and  answers.  They  were  written  by  theologians 
from  the  adult  point  of  view.  How  little  they  were  suited 
to  children  one  may  judge  from  the  first  question  in  the  "Heidel- 
berg Catechism,"  drawn  up  in  1562,  and  perhaps  more  widely 
used  than  any  other : 

•    Question.     What  is  thine  only  comfort  in  life  and  death? 

Answer.  That  I,  with  body  and  soul,  both  in  life  and  in  death,  am  not 
mine  own,  but  belong  unto  my  faithful  vSavior  Jesus  Christ,  who  with  His 
precious  blood  hath  fully  satisfied  for  all  my  sins,  and  redeemed  me  from  all 
the  power  of  the  devil;  and  so  keepeth  me,  that,  without  the  will  of  my 
Father  in  heaven,  not  a  hair  can  fall  from  my  head ;  yea,  also,  everything  must 
serve  for  my  salvation.  Therefore  He  also,  by  His  Holy  Spirit  assureth  me' 
of  everlasting  life,  and  maketh  me  heartily  willing  and  ready  henceforth  to 
live  unto  Him. 

This  certainly  was  "  solid  food  for  fullgrown  men,"  but 
scarcely  milk  for  babes. 

The  memorizing  of  Scripture  was  stimulated  by  rivalry  and 
prizes.  In  some  cases  it  reached  five  hundred,  or  even  seven 
hundred,  verses  a  week.  When  such  cramming  was  found 
to  impair  the  mind,  a  limit  was  set  at  two  hundred.  With 
all  its  defects  this  method  had  the  merit  of  storing  the  mind 
with  a  wealth  of  passages  unsurpassed  in  religious  and  literary 
value. 

The  second  reform  was  the  introduction  of  assigned  lessons 
in  place  of  the  haphazard  selections  made  by  each  teacher. 
Lessons  based  on  Scripture  narratives,  or  other  passages,  were 
accompanied  by  explanations,  questions,  and  answers.  This 
idea  was  started  in  Scotland  in  1810,  and  in  a  somewhat  modified 
form  was  adopted  in  1826  by  the  American  Sunday  School 
Union  in  a  series  called  the    Uniform  Limited  Lessons,     The 


Three  Lcssou  Systems  oj  the  Present  Day  15 

scheme  aimed  to  cover  the  narrative  portions  of  the  Bible  in 
five  years,  and  adapted  its  explanations  to  three  grades  of 
pupils.  It  had  the  merit  of  at  least  attempting  a  systematic 
study  of  the  Bible. 

The  Uniform  Limited  Lessons  did  not  win  general  acceptance. 
Publishers,  private  and  denominational,  felt  free  to  enter 
the  field  and  flood  the  market  with  other  schemes.  A  multi- 
tude of  schools  prepared  their  own  lessons.  Out  of  this  chaos, 
known  as  the  "  Babel  "  period,  came  finally  a  suggestion  that 
was  destined  to  swing  the  whole  Sunday  school  world  into  a 
magnificent  but  rigid  imiformity. 

Note  2.  The  Uniform  Lesson  System.  In  1867  Mr.  B.  F. 
Jacobs  of  Chicago  began  agitating  for  a  single  lesson  for  the 
whole  school  and  for  all  schools.  In  spite  of  opposition  it 
won  favor  so  rapidly  that  in  1872  the  National  Sunday  School 
Convention  at  Indianapolis  appointed  a  committee  to  arrange 
a  system  of  lessons  to  cover  the  Bible  in  seven  years,  and  all 
schools  were  advised  to  adopt  them.  In  three  years  the  system 
had  spread  over  a  large  part  of  the  world.  Weekly,  monthly, 
and  quarterly  expositions  have  appeared  since  then  in  increasing 
and  almost  incredible  numbers.  For  a  score  of  years  this 
idea  dominated  the  Sunday  school  world. 

That  thexiniform  lesson  system  has  wrought  far-reaching  and 
beneficent  results  is  unquestionable.  It  was  probably  the 
only  thing  that  could  bring  order  out  of  the  previous  con- 
fusion. It  has  unified,  extended,  and  strengthened  the  work 
of  the  Sunday  school.  It  has  brought  nearly  all  Protestant 
bodies  into  a  sympathetic  co-operation  previously  unknown. 
It  has  created  a  wide-spread  and  permanent  interest  in  Bible 
study.  It  has  lent  itself  easily  to  the  promotion  of  teachers' 
meetings  where  the  interest  has  centered  on  the  next  Sunday's 
lesson.  Superintendents  have  been  given  opportunities  at 
the  close  of  the  session  to  talk  to  the  whole  school  about  the 
lesson.  Travelers  would  find  the  same  lesson  wherever  they 
went.  Speakers  at  Conventions  have  never  wearied  of  drawing 
inspiration  from  the  fact  that  millions  of  people  were  studying 
the  same  lesson  at  the  same  time.  Lesson  helps  have  been 
printed  in  such  enormous  editions  as  to  bring  the  price  within 
the  reach  of  schools  with  the  most  limited  means. 

A  fundamental  and  fatal  defect  in  any  system  of  uniform 
lessons,  however,  is  lack  of  adaptation  to  the  various  ages  and 


16  The  Modern  Church  ^'''°" 

capacities  of  those  who  constitute  the  Sunday  school.  Like 
the  medieval  catechism,  it  assumes  that  the  religious  needs 
of  the  child  are  the  same  as  those  of  "  grown  ups."  Further- 
more, a  system  built  on  the  plan  of  a  uniform  lesson  cannot 
be  reformed.  There  is  no  middle  ground  between  indefinite 
continuance  and  total  rejection.  This  painful  alternative  ex- 
plains why  the  Sunday  school  world  has  been  so  slow  in  reach- 
ing out  after  something  better.  An  irrational  system,  com- 
mended chiefly  by  its  superficial  advantages,  possesses  no 
elements  of  permanent  vitality.  The  whole  trend  of  modem 
thought  is  against  it.  So  far  from  being  the  end  of  perfection 
it  is  only  a  step  in  the  path  of  progress. 

Note  3.  The  Bible  Study  Union  Lessons.  The  wide- 
spread dissatisfaction  with  the  uniform  lessons  led  in  1890  - 
1893  to  the  publication  of  several  courses  of  "  Inductive  Les- 
sons, "  designed  especially  for  the  adult  department,  but 
they  were  short-lived.  The  earhest  system  of  so-called ' '  graded  ' ' 
lessons  is  that  begun  in  1890  by  the  Bible  Study  Publishing 
Company.  In  any  strict  sense  of  the  term  they  were  only 
partly  "  graded,  "  but  by  their  superiority  to  other  lessons 
then  ciirrent  they  achieved  a  wide  popularity.  The  earlier, 
or  Six  Year  Series,  while  retaining  a  certain  measure  of  uni- 
formity, were  approximately  adapted  to  the  needs  of  each 
department  in  the  school.  They  divided  the  Bible  into  three 
parts,  the  Old  Testament,  the  Gospels,  and  the  rest  of  the 
New  Testament,  and  gave  a  year's  study  to  each  part.  The 
children's  courses  were  based  on  the  stories  and  great  truths 
of  the  Bible;  the  young  people's  on  BibHcal  biography  and 
history;  and  the  adult  courses  on  Christian  doctrines  and 
practical  ethics.  They  are  still  extensively  used,  many  schools 
preferring  them  to  the  more  acciu*ately  graded  systems  now 
appearing. 

The  later  Completely  Graded  Series,  begun  in  1909,  provides 
courses  scientifically  constructed  for  every  year  between  the 
ages  of  four  and  twenty.  Two  years  of  appropriate  work  are- 
assigned  to  the  Kindergarten.  The  primary  department 
(ages  6-8)  has  three  courses  based  on  Biblical  and  other 
stories  topically  arranged.  They  are  designed  to  awaken  feelings 
of  love  and  trust,  and  to  crdtivate  habits  of  obedience  to 
parents,  to  teachers,  and  to  God.  The  unique  and  exceedingly 
attractive  feature    of    the  next    grades   (9-12  years)   is  the 


^^''««  Lesson  Systems  of  the  Present  Day  17 

Junior  Bible.  This  contains  the  simpler  versions  of  the 
narratives  to  be  studied,  printed  on  folders  given  out  to  the 
pupils  each  week  to  be  bound  in  covers.  At  the  end  of  four 
years  each  pupil  has  a  Junior  Bible  in  four  parts  illustrated 
with  pictures  which  accompany  the  folders.  The  four  inter- 
mediate years  (13-16)  are  provided  with  Biblical  and  extra- 
Biblical  lessons  carefully  adapted  to  the  spontaneous  interests 
of  the  pupils.  These  are  for  the  first  year,  "  Heroes  of  the 
Faith  ";  second  year,  "  Christian  Living";  third  year,  "  Records 
of  the  Faith  " ;  and  fourth  year,  "  The  Life  of  Jesus." 

The  senior  grades  (17-20  years)  include  (a)  a  rapid  survey 
of  the  fundamental  religious  ideas  in  the  Old  Testament  and 
in  the  teachings  of  Christ;  (6)  a  sketch  of  the  history  of  the 
Christian  Church  from  the  time  of  the  Apostles  to  oiu*  day; 
{c)  a  missionary  course  which  includes  a  comparative  study 
of  the  great  religions  of  the  world;  and  {d)  the  present  course 
on  **  The  Modem  Church."  Professor  Kent's  Historical f 
Bible,  a  comprehensive  cotirse  in  Biblical  history,  based  on 
the  oldest  Biblical  sources  and  extending  over  six  years,  is 
also  used  by  senior,  adult,  and  teacher-training  classes. 
Most  of  these  senior  courses  are  also  admirably  suited  to 
adult  classes.  As  a  whole  the  Bible  Study  Union  Lessons  are 
conceded,  even  by  those  deeply  interested  in  other  systems, 
to  have  done  a  practical  pioneer  work  of  inestimable  value 
in  blazing  a  way  toward  better  things. 

Note  4.  Graded  Systems.  Some  years  after  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Bible  Study  Union  Lessons  the  University  of 
Chicago  Press  began  issuing  a  series  of  text-books  known 
as  "  Constructive  Bible  Studies  for  Sunday  Schools. "J  These 
now  include  courses  for  all  grades.  The  strong  points  are 
(1)  the  modem  treatment  of  the  Bible,  and  (2)  the  treat- 
ment of  the  yearly  work  in  annual  volumes.  As  yet  httle 
extra-Biblical  material  has  been  provided  for  classes  below 
the  adult  division. 

Mention  should  be  made  of  the  graded  system  of  the  New 
York  Sunday  School  Commission  issued  in  1907,  which  is 
largely  used  in  Episcopal  schools.  It  makes  much  use  of  the 
Catechism,  the  Prayer  Book,  and  Church  History.  Other 
denominational  graded  systems  are  those  of  the  EvangeHcal 
Lutheran  Church,  the  Friends,  and  the  Unitarians. 

The  various  independent  and  denominational  series  men- 


18  The  Modern  Church  ^  -^"^^m 

tioned  above,  together  with  the  important  work  done  by  the 
ReHgious  Education  Association,  leavened  the  Sunday  schools 
with  ideas  that  could  not  be  suppressed.  Far  sooner  than 
even  the  most  sanguine  friends  of  improved  methods  had 
ventured  to  hope  the  seemingly  impregnable  walls  of  the 
Uniform  Lesson  System  began  to  crumble.  In  1908  the 
International  Lesson  Committee  was  instructed  to  prepare 
graded  lessons  for  schools  that  desired  them.  The  result  is 
that  International  Graded  Lessons  are  now  provided,  or  in 
course  of  preparation,  for  nearly  every  department.  The 
denominational  publishing  houses  are  pushing  them,  and 
large  space  is  given  to  the  subject  in  Sunday  school  maga- 
zines. It  is  probable  that  in  a  very  few  years  the  graded  lesson 
system  will  supersede  the  uniform  lessons  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  latter  will  linger  only  in  backward  churches. 

In  the  Completely  Graded  Series  of  the  Bible  Study  Union 
Lessons,  a  serious  effort  has  been  made  to  conform  the  material 
and  the  methods  to  the  mental  capacities,  the  spontaneous 
interests,  and  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  pupils  at  each  stage 
of  their  development;  to  aim  at  unity  in  results  rather  than 
uniformity  of  methods ;  to  develop  Christian  character  through 
knowledge  of  religious  truth  from  whatever  source  is  best 
adapted  to  promote  that  end;  and  to  lay  a  solid  foundation 
for  a  course  in  normal  training,  so  that  the  teaching  force  of 
the  Sunday  school  shall  become  self -perpetuating. 

Furthermore,  the  Completely  Graded  Series,  while  con- 
servative in  respect  to  all  things  of  vital  importance  for  which 
Christianity  has  stood  in  the  past,  is  not  unmindful  of  the 
profound  intellectual  movements  which  are  characteristic 
of  our  age,  and  which  are  deeply  affecting  the  attitude  of 
seriously  minded  persons  toward  religious  problems.  It  tries 
to  meet  questions  of  Biblical  history  and  interpretation,  of 
Christian  faith  and  experience,  of  church  membership  and 
social  service  in  a  spirit  conformable  to  modem  views. 
For  these  reasons  it  is  winning  a  rapidly  enlarging  circle  of 
friends  among  those  who  wish  to  see  religious  questions  treated 
in  accord  with  the  best  scientific  thought  of  our  time. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Pease:  An  Outline  of  a  Bible  School  Curriculum,  Chicago,  1904. 
{2)  "  The  Construction  of  a  Graded  Curriculum,"  Burton  and  Mathews: 
Principles  and  Ideals  for  the  Sunday  School,  Chicago,  1903,  pp.  141-146. 
(5)  "  Fitting  a  Bible  School  Curriculum  to  the  Pupil,"  Haslett:  The  Fed- 


^'"'^^  Lesson  Systems  of  the  Present  Day  19 

agogical  Bible  School,  New  York  and  Chicago,  1903,  pp.  207-348.  (4)  "The 
Selection  of  a  Graded  Sunday  School  Curriculum,"  Musselman :  The 
Sunday  School  Teacher's  School,  Philadelphia,  1909,  pp.  91-105.  (-5) 
"  The  Story  of  the  Lesson  System,"  with  descriptions  of  those  best  known. 
Cope:  Eiioliition  of  the  Sunday  School,  Boston,  1911,  pp.  101-127. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  are  the  main  departments  in  a  modern  Sunday  school? 

2.  Why  should  pupils  be  graded? 

3.  On  what  basis  should  pupils  be  graded? 

4.  What  reasons  have  been  urged  in  favor  of  uniform  lessons? 

5.  State  some  reasons  why  the  lesson  material  should  be  carefully 
graded. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  was  the  nature  of  the  work  done  in  the  earlier  periods  of  the 
Sunday  school? 


2.  Describe  the  so-called  "  Babel  period." 


3.  What  was  the  origin  of  the  Uniform  Lesson  System? 


4.  What  were  some  of  its  advantages? 


5.  What  were  its  defects? 


6.  What  are  the  prominent  features  of  the  "  Completely  Graded  Series"? 


7.  What  are  the  "  Constructive  Bible  Studies"? 


20  The  Modern  Church  ^^"°» 

8.  Describe  the  International  Graded  System. 


9.  What  principles  are  fundamental  in  a  thoroughly  graded  Sunday 
school  curriculum? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  On  what  kind  of  material  are  the  lessons  in  your  beginners',  primary, 
junior,  and  intermediate  departments  based? 

2.  Are  any  classes  in    your  school  studying  any  other  than   Biblical 
lessons? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1,  Why  should  a  course  of  Sunday  school  study  include  other  subjects 
than  the  Bible? 

2.  Should  subjects  that  grow  out  of  the  spirit  and  rehgious  Hfe  portrayed 
in  the  Bible  be  properly  called  extra-Biblical? 


Lesson  4.    THE  TRAINING   OF  TEACHERS. 

Scripture  Reading:  Incompetent  Teachers  of  the  Law.  1  Tim.  1: 1-11. 

Note  1.  The  Need  of  Trained  Teachers  in  the  Sunday 
School.  In  every  branch  of  education  the  need  of  trained 
teachers  has  been  recognized.  In  the  time  of  Christ  no  people 
attached  so  high  a  value  to  education  as  did  the  Jews.  At 
an  early  age  the  child  began  his  training  in  the  home,  whence 
at  the  age  of  six  years  he  passed  into  the  synagogue  school. 
This  was  caUed  the  "  House  of  the  Book,"  since  the  only  text- 
book was  the  roll  of  the  Law.  The  instructors  in  these  elemen- 
tary schools,  which  were  found  in  every  village,  were  profes- 
sional teachers  variously  styled  scribes,  rabbis,  or  doctors  of 
the  Law  (Lu.  5:17).  They  had  been  carefully  fitted  for  their 
work  at  the  scribal  colleges,  or  "Houses  of  Study."  The 
best  training  school  for  religious  teachers  that  this  world  has 
known  was  instituted  when  Jesus,  the  Master,  chose  twelve 
disciples  to  be  with  Him  to  be  fitted  to  carry  on  His  work. 
Paul  warned  Timothy  against  those  in  the  Christian  churches 
who  were  "  desiring  to  be  teachers  of  the  law,  though  they 


^^^^  The  Training  of  Teachers  21 

understand  neither  what  they  say,   nor  whereof  they  con- 
fidently affimi  "  (1  Tim.  1:7). 

In  the  early  Sunday  schools  nearly  all  the  teachers  were 
paid  (Note  2,  Lesson  1).  It  was  only  after  schools  had  so 
increased  in  nirmber  as  to  make  the  payment  of  the  teachers 
a  great  burden  that  devoted  men  and  women  began  giving 
gratuitous  instruction.  This  practice  soon  became  universal. 
But  even  with  unpaid  teachers  it  has  become  a  serious  prob- 
lem how  to  provide  teachers  for  the  schools,  and  the  church 
has  had  to  meet  the  demand  as  best  it  could.  Any  church 
member  who  could  be  persuaded  to  take  a  class  was  drawn 
into  the  work.  Men  and  women,  even  boys  and  girls,  with- 
out the  smallest  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  teaching  and 
with  little  knowledge  of  the  Bible  have  been  entrusted  with 
the  religious  education  of  children  and  youth.  None  felt 
the  lack  of  equipment  more  keenly  than  many  of  these  teachers 
themselves,  and  they  deserve  all  honor  for  the  good  work 
they  have  done  in  very  trying  circumstances.  For  this  army 
of  untrained  teachers  the  Uniform  Lesson  System  provided  a 
lavish  supply  of  lesson  helps  for  the  next  Sunday.  But  while 
these  helps  provided  crutches  for  the  lame,  they  never  helped 
any  one  to  walk  alone.  Since  religious  education  is  not  only 
the  most  important,  but  also  the  most  difficult  branch  of 
education,  the  Sunday  schools  should  by  right  have  the  most 
carefully  trained  and  most  efficient  teachers. 

Note  2.    The    Present    Emphasis    on    Teacher    Training. 

The  teachers'  meeting  in  vogue  until  within  a  few  years,  and 
stiU  floiuishing  where  the  uniform  lesson  is  used,  was  not  in 
any  proper  sense  a  teacher  training  school.  Its  chief  aim  was 
to  assist  the  teachers  to  get  ready  for  the  next  Sunday's  lesson 
with  the  least  expenditure  of  personal  effort.  The  leader 
delivered  a  more  or  less  illuminating  discourse  on  the  lesson, 
from  which  the  listeners  carried  away  whatever  they  could. 
During  the  latter  half  of  the  last  century  efforts  were  made 
to  arouse  interest  in  a  larger  preparation  of  teachers  for  their 
work.  The  Chautauqua  Assembly  was  founded,  institutes  were 
held,  text-books  w^ere  written,  classes  were  organized  by  pastors, 
and  lecture  courses  were  given.  The  purpose  was  to  make  the 
teachers  better  acquainted  with  the  history,  geography,  litera- 
ture, antiquities,  manners,  and  customs  of  Bible  times  and  Bible 
ands.    Naturally  the  emphasis  was  placed  on  matters  relating  to 


22  The  Modern  Church 


Lesson 


this  book,  seeing  that  it  had  been  made  the  sole  text-book  in  the 
Sunday  school.  Step  by  step  the  movement  spread  and  the  in- 
terest deepened  until  1903  when  it  culminated  in  the  establish- 
ment of  a  Department  of  Education  in  connection  with  the 
International  Sunday  School  Association.  Teacher  training 
departments  are  now  organized  in  nearly  every  State  in  the 
Union,  in  all  the  provinces  of  Canada,  in  Hawaii,  Mexico  and  the 
West  Indies.  "  This  means  that  they  have  either  appointed 
teacher  training  superintendents,  or  teacher  training  committees 
who  supervise  this  department  of  work.  It  means  also  that  the 
courses  of  study  used  have  been  approved  by  the  Committee  on 
Education,  that  the  examinations  are  conducted  in  writing 
without  help,  and  that  their  graduates  are  required  to  make 
a  grade  of  at  least  seventy  per  cent."  The  quality  of  text- 
books has  steadily  improved.  Theological  seminaries  almost 
without  exception,  and  denominational  colleges  in  an  increas- 
ing number,  are  giving  courses  in  the  principles  and  methods 
of  religious  education  and  the  laws  of  mental  development. 
Teachers'  institutes,  conducted  by  educational  experts,  are 
taking  the  place  of  the  old-fashioned  inspirational  Sunday 
School  Convention,  and  correspondence  schools  are  reaching 
hundreds  of  teachers  and  schools  beyond  the  reach  of  insti- 
tutes. The  result  of  all  this  activity  is  that  the  number  of 
persons  now  enrolled  in  teacher  training  courses  amounts  to  about 
200,000,  or  one  out  of  twelve  in  the  whole  number  of  teachers. 

Note  3.    What  the   Sunday  School  Teacher  Needs  to  Be. 

Before  a  course  of  study  preparatory  to  Sunday  school  teach- 
ing is  undertaken  the  student  should  possess  certain  personal 
qualifications : 

(1)  He  should  be  of  svifficient  age  to  realize  the  responsi- 
bilities attaching  to  the  ofhce  of  a  religious  teacher  and  to 
inspire  confidence  in  those  who  are  taught.  To  put  in  charge 
of  a  class,  boys  or  girls  who  themselves  are  sadly  in  need  of 
religious  instruction,  and  whose  sole  idea  of  teaching  is  a 
mechanical  repetition  of  the  questions  in  the  lesson  help,  is 
doing  them  and  their  pupils  a  grave  injustice. 

(2)  He  should  have  sufficient  general  education  to  be  able 
to  use  intelligently  such  means  for  special  training  as  may 
be  put  into  his  hands. 

{3)  It  is  highly  desirable  that  the  prospective  teacher  should 
have  some  natural  aptitude  for  teaching. 


^owr  X]i0  Training  of  Teachers  23 

(4)  Much  is  said  in  these  days  of  Christians  outside  the 
churches.  But  for  a  Sunday  school  teacher  to  remain  outside 
the  chiu-ch  disquahfies  him  for  impressing  on  his  pupils  the 
duty  of  a  whole-hearted  consecration  to  Jesus  Christ  as  Saviour 
and  Lord,  and  for  training  them  in  efficient  church  member- 
ship. Consistency  requires  that  a  religious  teacher  above 
all  others  should  not  only  point  out  the  right  way,  but  walk 
in  it. 

(5)  Mere  church  membership,  however,  does  not  suffice. 
A  Sunday  school  teacher  should  be  one  whose  personality 
testifies  to  a  living  religious  faith  and  to  uprightness  in  conduct. 
The  truth  he  teaches  should  be  such  an  outstanding  part  of 
his  own  life  that  his  association  with  his  pupils  shall  impress 
them  even  more  than  his  words.  "  What  you  are,"  says  Emer- 
son, *'  speaks  so  loud  I  cannot  hear  what  you  say."  The  most 
successful  religious  teacher,  other  things  being  equal,  is  he 
who  has  most  fully  absorbed  the  spirit  of  his  divine  Master. 

Note  4.    What  a  Sunday  School  Teacher  Needs  to  Know. 

Assuming  that  the  teacher  has  the  requisite  personal  qualifi- 
cations and  a  fair  general  education,  he  needs  also  a  special 
preparation  for  his  work.  This  should  embrace  first,  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  science  and  art  of  teaching,  that  is  to  say,  (a)  a 
study  of  general  educational  principles  and  methods  (pedagogy)  ; 
(6)  an  acquaintance  with  the  leading  facts  relating  to  the 
mental  and  especially  spiritual  groY^'th  of  children;  (c)  a  study 
of  Siuiday  school  organization,  managem.ent,  and  equip- 
ment; and  {d)  information  as  to  the  special  methods  best 
&,dapted  to  the  department  (kindergarten,  primary,  jtmior, 
intermediate,  senior,  or  adult)  in  which  his  work  is  to  lie. 
Secondly,  the  teacher's  training  should  include  a  broad 
acquaintance  with  the  subjects  to  be  taught,  namely,  (a) 
introduction  to  the  Bible  as  a  whole,  and  to  its  several  books; 
(6)  Biblical  history,  geography,  and  antiquities;  (c)  the  dis- 
tinctive literary  features  of  the  various  books  in  the  Bible; 
(d)  a  brief  summary  of  Christian  doctrine;  {e)  an  outline  of 
the  history  of  the  Christian  church;  and  (J)  a  brief  survey  of 
the  relation  of  the  chtu-ch  to  the  social  problems  of  the  present 
time. 

Not  all  teachers  are  in  position  to  pursue  so  extended  a 
cotu-se  of  study.  Efforts  have  been  made,  accordingly,  to 
reduce  the  requirements  so  as  not  to  be  beyond  the  time  and 


24  The  Modern  Church  ^^^<"» 

ability  of  average  teachers,  and  at  the  same  time  to  set  certain 
standards  that  will  universally  entitle  students  to  examina- 
tion and  graduation.  At  a  conference  of  Sunday  school  and 
denominational  leaders  in  Philadelphia  in  1908  the  following 
action  was  taken; 

"  It  is  the  sense  of  this  conference  in  defining  the  minimum  requirements 
for  the  Standardized  Course  for  Teacher  Training  that  such  minimum 
should  include:  (a)  Fifty  lesson  periods,  of  which  at  least  twenty  should 
be  devoted  to  the  study  of  the  Bible  and  at  least  seven  each  to  the  study ' 
of  the  Pupil,  the  Teacher,  and  the  Sunday  school,  {h)  That  two  years' 
time  should  be  devoted  to  this  course,  and  in  no  case  should  a  diploma 
be  granted  for  its  completion  in  less  than  one  year,  (c)  That  there  should 
be  an  advance  course,  including  not  less  than  one  hundred  lesson  periods, 
with  a  minimum  of  forty  lesson  periods  devoted  to  the  study  of  the  Bible, 
and  of  not  less  than  ten  each  to  the  study  of  the  Pupil,  the  Teacher, 
the  Sunday  school,  Church  History,  Missions  or  Kindred  Themes,  (d) 
That  three  years'  time  should  be  devoted  to  this  course,  and  in  no  case 
should  a  diploma  be  granted  for  its  completion  in  less  than  two  years." 

Students  who  pursue  any  of  these  subjects  in  regularly 
enrolled  classes  and  pass  the  examinations  are  entitled  to 
a  certificate  for  any  subject  and  a  diploma  for  a  whole  course. 
For  information  address  your  State  Sunday  School  Associa- 
tion Secretary,  or  the  International  Sunday  School  Asso- 
ciation, 805  Hartford  Building,  Chicago,  111.,  or  the  Sunday 
School  Department  of  your  denomination. 

Note  5.    How   Teacher    Training    Can   Be    Provided.     It 

is  at  this  point  that  the  leadership  of  a  competent  pastor 
becomes  one  of  the  chief  factors  in  the  efficiency  of  a  Sunday 
school.  Happily  the  foremost  theological  seminaries  are  now 
providing  courses  in  religious  education.  These  courses  are 
designed  to  prepare  ministers  to  undertake  the  work  of  teacher 
training  as  soon  as  they  are  given  charge  of  churches.  Not 
only  so,  but  many  of  the  seminaries  are  ready  to  provide  teach- 
ers for  classes  that  may  be  formed  within  reasonable  distances. 
Ministers  who  have  not  fitted  themselves  for  this  work  should 
seize  the  first  opportunity  to  do  so.  Oftentimes  the  teachers 
of  several  neighboring  churches  can  combine  in  obtaining  a 
suitable  instructor  if  none  of  the  pastors  feel  equal  to  the 
task.  In  almost  every  congregation  some  trained  public 
school  teacher  will  be  found  who  would  gladly  assume  the 
leadership  of  such  a  class.  Information  as  to  the  most  practi- 
cable way  of  organizing  classes  and  of  selecting  teachers  and 
text-books  can  always  be  obtained  by  correspondence  with 


P'^  The  Training  oj  Teachers  25 

State  Sunday  school  secretaries.  If  a  class  cannot  be  formed, 
individual  teachers  should  be  encouraged  to  take  some  course 
and  by  private  study,  or  the  help  of  a  correspondence  school, 
qualify  themselves  for  better  service.  As  to  correspondence 
study,  inquire  of  your  denominational  Simday  school  depart- 
ment. 

An  important  help  in  promoting  efficiency  is  a  teachers' 
library.  It  should  include,  if  possible,  one  or  two  reliable 
books  on  all  the  subjects  mentioned  in  the  preceding  note, 
as  well  as  a  recent  dictionary  of  the  Bible,  and  commentaries 
on  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 

Any  church  that  appreciates  the  importance  of  religious 
education,  and  of  the  Sunday  school  as  the  sole  agency  by 
which  the  chiurch  can  promote  it,  will  be  on  the  outlook  for 
yotmg  people  who  give  promise  of  efficiency  as  teachers, 
and  will  not  only  encourage  them  to  prepare  for  this  service 
but  will  provide  the  amplest  facilities  for  so  doing.  A  thoroughly 
organized  Sunday  school  will  thus  in  time  train  up  its  own 
teachers  from  pupils  who,  having  passed  through  all  the  grades, 
are  prepared  and  willing  to  enter  a  normal  class.  By  and  by 
chtu"ches  ma^^  see  the  wisdom  of  employing  paid  teachers,  and 
especially  superintendents  who  are  as  scientifically  trained  for 
their  work  as  the  pastor  is  for  his,  and  are  paid  in  the  same 
currency. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{X)  "  The  Evolution  of  the  Teacher  "  in  Cope's  The  'Evolution  of  the 
Sunday  School,  Boston,  1901,  pp.  154-173.  (2)  Coe:  The  Training  of 
Teachers  for  Graded  Schools,  in  Official  Report  of  the  Thirteenth  Inter- 
national Sunday  School  Convention,  pp.  500-504.  (3)  The  same  report, 
pp.  309-316,  gives  also  a  survey  of  the  present  state  of  teacher  training 
work.  (4)  Coe :  The  Core  of  Good  Teaching,  to  be  had  from  the  publishers 
of  these  lessons  free  on  application. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  Mention  the  leading  lesson  systems  in  use  at  the  present  time. 

2.  Why  have  uniform  lessons  proved  unsatisfactory? 

3.  What  advantages  are  possessed  by  graded  lessons? 

4.  What  principles  should  imderlie  a  system  of  thoroughly  graded 
Sunday  school  lessons? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  How  did  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  Christ  provide  for  the  religious 
education  of  the  young? 


I 


26  The  Modern  Church  ^^^'^o" 

2.  What  led  to  the  employment  of  unpaid  teachers  in  modern  Sunday 
schools? 


).  What  has  been  the  usual  way  of  providing  teachers? 


4.  Mention  some  of  the  steps  of  progress  in  teacher  training. 


5.  What  is  the  present  condition  of  this  work? 


6.  What  personal  qualifications  should  a  Sunday  school  teacher  possess? 


7.  What  subjects  should  be  included  in  a  teacher  training  course? 


8.  Describe  some  attempts  that  have  been  made  to  standardize  teacher 
training. 


9.  What  can  a  pastor  do  to  promote  teacher  training? 


10.  How  can  any  school  provide  itself  with  better  teachers? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  does  the  superintendent  of  your  school  provide  teachers  as 
they  may  be  needed? 


^'"^  New  Types  of  Sunday  School  Work  27 

2.  What  special  provision  is  made  for  teacher  training? 

3.  What  is  your  State  Sunday  School  Association,  denominational  or 
interdenominational,  doing  to  lift  the  standard  of  teaching? 

4.  What  books  for  teachers  does  your  Sunday  school  library  contain? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  How  can  you  awaken  in  your  church  such  a  sense  of  the  importance 
of  religious  education  as  will  lead  to  systematic  and  adequate  provision 
for  teacher  training? 

2.  Is  special  teacher  training  a  practical  proposition  for  busy  laymen? 

3.  How  far  is  it  true  that  teachers  are  "  born  not  made"? 


Lesson  5.     NEW  TYPES   OF   SUNDAY   SCHOOL 
WORK. 

Scripture  Reading:     "  Behold,   I  make  all  things  new."  Rev.  21  :  1-8. 

Note  1.  Multiplicity  of  Interests  in  Modern  Sunday- 
Schools.  There  are  multitudes  who  hold  that  things  are 
sacred  because  they  are  old,  and  dangerous  because  they  are 
new.  Their  ideal  world  is  one  where  no  one  is  bothered  with 
visions  of  better  things,  and  where  beliefs,  customs,  insti- 
tutions remain  as  they  are.  They  have  their  doubts  about 
**  a  new  Heaven  and  a  new  earth,"  and  are  suspicious  of  a 
wisdom  that  "  makes  all  things  new."  To  this  class  belonged 
those  who  denounced  the  first  Sunday  schools  as  dangerous 
to  church  and  state  (Note  2,  Lesson  1).  Since  then  they  have 
opposed  every  advance  step  taken  by  those  who  see  that 
the  salvation  of  the  Sunday  school,  as  well  as  of  the  world, 
lies  in  progress.  Nevertheless,  the  Sunday  schools  have 
marched  on  toward  better  and  greater  things.  In  comparison 
with  the  schools  of  only  half  a  century  ago  the  interests  and 
activities  of  modem  schools  seem  almost  bewildering.  The 
Cradle  Roll  reaches  out  after  the  infant  in  arms.  The  Home 
Department  "  offers  the  open  Bible  through  the  hand  of  the 
living  visitor  to  every  home,  man,  woman,  and  child  not 
already  connected  with  some  department  of  the  Sunday  school. 
It  aims  to  take  the  gospel  to  every  one  in  the  parish."  The 
importance  of  the  Simday  school  as  an  agency  for  promoting 
missionary  knowledge  and  zeal  is  being  recognized  more  and 
more  every  year.  Since  one  ptupose  of  religious  education 
is  to  teach  men  to  live  efficient  moral  lives,  and  since  this 


28  The  Modern  Church  ^^""^ 

demands  a  sound  physical  organism,  the  Sunday  school 
has  long  emphasized  the  need  of  temperance,  and  is  now 
beginning  to  give  specific  instruction  respecting  sexual  moral- 
ity and  hygiene.  Some  up-to-date  schools  have  some  classes 
for  training  in  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  parenthood. 
This  department  will  and  should  have  increasing  attention 
in  the  Sunday  school  of  the  futtire.  Among  boys  and  girls 
we  have  class  clubs  with  their  social,  athletic,  and  literary 
activities.  The  Knights  of  King  Arthur  minister  to  the  spirit 
of  fraternity  and  chivalry  in  the  growing  boy.  Sunday 
school  orchestras  furnish  music,  and  Sunday  school  reading- 
rooms  give  access  to  the  popular  literature  of  the  day.  Since 
this  institution  is  coming  more  and  more  to  be  recognized 
as  the  church's  chief  agency  for  promoting  religious  education, 
and  since  religion  touches  every  department  of  human  life, 
it  follows  that  its  interests  are  gradually  broadening  out  oyer 
the  whole  field  of  human  activity.  In  this  lesson  attention, 
is  called  to  only  a  few  of  these  new  types  of  Sunday  school 
work. 

Note  2.  Hand-Work.  The  introduction  of  hand-work  into 
Sunday  schools  is  an  innovation  that  has  been  practically 
forced  upon  them  by  the  example  of  the  day  schools.  Wise 
teachers  see  that  it  is  not  a  passing  fad,  but  that  i!  is  based 
on  a  fundamental  law  of  human  life.  From  earliest  infancy 
we  learn  by  doing  things.  Knowledge  to  be  of  real  value  must 
be  acquired  by  the  pupil  himself  and  not  merely  be  injected 
by  the  teacher.  The  teacher's  function  is  to  stimulate  the 
desire  for  knowledge  and  to  guide  the  pupil  in  the  work  of 
acquiring  it.  The  hand  is  a  most  important  agency  in  de- 
veloping the  brain.  It  gives  concrete  expression  to  thought. 
Furthermore,  the  effort  to  give  visible  or  tangible  form 
to  an  idea  tends  to  create  a  glowing  interest  in  what  might 
otherwise  prove  dull  and  distasteful.  A  boy  or  girl  who  makes 
a  drawing  of  an  Arab's  tent  will  thereby  get  a  more  vivid  idea 
of  Abraham's  manner  of  life  than  by  a  mere  reading  of  the 
story.  The  construction  of  a  map  of  Palestine  will  help  to 
localize  events  that  otherwise  would  hang  in  the  air.  The 
writing  out  of  the  main  points  in  a  narrative  is  one  of  the 
best  ways  of  fixing  it  in  mind. 

Forms  of  hand-work  suitable  to  the  Sunday  school  are: 
tearing  paper  in  crude  representations  of  objects  that  will 


^*^*  New  Types  of  Sunday  School  Work  29 

help  the  child  to  recall  a  story  that  has  been  told,  drawing 
similar  outlines  on  paper,  coloring  outline  pictures,  pasting 
pictures,  or  constructing  pictures  on  sand-tables;  the  modeling 
of  houses,  tents,  furniture,  or  other  objects  connected  with 
Oriental  life  and  customs;  drawing  maps  on  paper,  or  mold- 
ing them  in  sand,  paper-pulp,  clay  or  plasticine;  note-books 
made  up  of  written  materials  original  or  copied;  harmonies 
of  the  life  of  Christ  made  by  clipping  the  accounts  from  the 
Gospels,  pasting  them  in  parallel  columns  and  in  chronolog- 
ical order;  the  collecting  and  storing  in  a  school  museum  of 
curios,   models,    picttires,   maps,    and   stereographs. 

No  doubt  there  are  difficulties  in  the  way  of  a  general  intro- 
duction of  hand- work  into  Sunday  schools,  but  none  that 
is  insuperable.  Pupils  have  already  become  familiar  with  it 
in  the  public  schools.  Teachers  must  learn  how  to  use  it. 
It  must  not  be  made  an  end  in  itself,  nor  employed  merely 
as  a  happy  device  for  keeping  restless  pupils  quiet,  but  subor- 
dinated to  spiritual  impressions.  The  expense,  which  should 
cover  merely  the  cost  of  the  materials,  need  not  be  large. 
Nor  should  it  be  regarded  as  usable  in  the  lower  grades  only, 
but  as  capable  in  the  hands  of  wise  leaders  of  being  co-ordinated 
with  the  work  of  every  department  in  the  school.  Directions 
are  usually  given  in  the  helps  for  the  graded  lessons. 

Note  3.  Organized  Classes  for  Adults.  The  first  decade 
of  this  century  has  witnessed  great  progress  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  adult  classes.  This  has  been  due  to  the  recognized 
need  of  enlisting  men  and  women,  as  well  as  children  and 
youths,  in  the  study  of  God's  word.  About  sixty  years  ago 
an  English  Quaker,  Joseph  Sturge  by  name,  saw  at  the  street 
comers  in  Birmingham  groups  of  men  who  were  not  reached 
by  the  chiu-ches.  The  imptilse  to  do  for  them  what  Robert 
Raikes  had  done  for  the  children  resulted  in  the  starting  of 
an  adult  Sunday  school.  There  are  now  in  England  over  a 
thousand  such  schools  with  more  than  a  hundred  thousand 
members.  For  the  most  part  they  are  independent  of  the 
regular  schools,  and  hold  separate  sessions  for  men  and  women. 
In  this  country  the  adult  classes  have  grown  up  in  connection 
with  the  ordinary  Stmday  schools.  Unorganized  Bible  classes 
have  existed  a  long  tune,  but  distinctively  organized  classes 
are  of  comparatively  recent  date.  The  remarkable  success 
that  has  attended  this  movement  is  accredited  largely  to  a 


30  The  Modern  Church  ^"^«» 

definite  distribution  of  responsibility  and  work.  Each  class 
has  at  least  five  officers:  teacher,  president,  vice-president, 
secretary,  and  treasurer;  and  three  committees,  membership, 
social,  and  devotional.  The  lower  age  limit  is  usually  fixed 
at  sixteen  years,  since  it  helps  to  hold  young  people  in  the 
Sunday  school  at  a  time  when  they  are  quite  liable  to  drift 
away.  Certain  special  forms  of  organization  adapted  to  the 
needs  of  young  men  are  known  as  Baraca  classes.  Philathea 
classes  are  similar  organizations  among  young  women.  Broth- 
erhoods were  first  started  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  ch-urch 
for  daily  united  prayer  and  personal  Christian  service.  With 
a  wider  range  of  activities  they  are  now  found  in  large  num- 
bers among  the  Baptists,  Congregationalists,  Methodists, 
and  Presbyterians. 

While  organized  adult  Bible  classes  have  as  their  main 
purpose  the  cooperation  of  men  and  women  in  Bible  study, 
their  activities  go  far  beyond  this.  They  help  to  develop 
latent  powers.  They  give  each  member  some  definite  work 
to  do.  In  thus  emphasizing  personal  responsibility  they  train 
for  efficient  service.  The  burden  of  responsibility  for  the 
success  of  the  class  is  shifted  from  the  leader  to  the  individual 
raembers.  Social  features  are  utilized  not  merely  for  having 
a  good  time  but  for  attracting  people  to  the  Bible  and  the 
church.  Mutual  service  of  a  very  effective  kind  can  be  ren- 
dered in  helping  young  men  and  women  out  of  work  to  find 
employment.  Let  it  be  understood  that  this  is  a  service  in 
which  every  member  of  the  class  considers  it  a  privilege  to 
give  all  the  aid  he  can.  The  class  exists  not  for  its  own  sake, 
but  for  philanthropic  work,  social  service,  better  citizen- 
ship, purer  politics,  and  good  government,  for  anything  and 
everything  in  fact  that  tends  to  advance  the  interests  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Through  the  adult  classes  "  The  Sunday 
school  has  thus  developed  from  an  institution  for  children 
and  youth  until  it  has  become  the  religious  educational  agency 
of  the  church  for  all  ages."  The  adult  class,  as  already  shown, 
is  proving  itself  an  effective  means  of  keeping  the  young  people 
in  the  Sunday  school.  It  brings  in  people  of  mature  age  who 
are  best  qualified  to  become  leaders  in  the  work  of  the  church. 
Where  the  class  is  thoroughly  organized  the  evangelistic  work 
rests  no  longer  on  the  shoulders  of  the  pastor  alone.  The 
class  brings  to  his  aid  a  large  body  of  workers  able  to  reach 
and  influence  those  who  in  many  instances  would  shy  off  at 


^'"^  New  Types  of  Sunday  School  Work  31 

the  approach  of  a  minister.  Multitudes  of  men  and  women  who 
are  thus  brought  into  the  Sunday  school  are  also  brought  to  a 
saving  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Note  4.  Training  for  Christian  Service.  From  what  has 
been  said  in  the  preceding  notes  it  will  be  seen  that  the  prob- 
lem before  the  Sunday  school  is  one  not  so  much  of  infor- 
mation as  of  development.  Mere  information  is  of  little  value 
unless  it  is  made  tributary  to  greater  efficiency  in  one's  life 
work.  From  the  kindergarten  to  the  organized  adult  class 
the  Sunday  school  is  now  seeking  for  appropriate  avenues 
by  which  the  natural  impulses  and  acquired  impressions  of 
the  pupils  may  find  expression  in  active  work.  That  is  the 
meaning  of  hand- work,  and  the  larger  meaning  of  the  adult 
class.  While  the  work  in  the  class  centers  on  the  Bible,  it 
is  only  that  its  teachings  may  take  form  in  Christian  service. 
This  may  be  very  simple,  but  if  it  is  done  not  merely  for  the 
class  or  the  church,  but  for  the  Master,  it  will  be  sanctified 
by  a  noble  piurpose.  The  training  thus  acquired  will  affect 
for  the  better  all  the  activities  of  one's  daily  life,  and  it  may 
swing  them  into  wholly  new  channels.  Many  a  church  or 
social  worker  or  missionary  at  home  or  abroad  has  received 
his  first  impulse  to  self-consecration  from  the  service  laid 
upon  him  by  the  Sunday  school.  Opportunities  for  service 
are  present  everywhere.  Ignorance,  poverty,  sickness,  lack 
of  work,  discouragement,  invite  sympathy  and  a  helping  hand. 
The  best  way  to  assist  the  imfortunate,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  enlarge  their  capacity  for  self-help  presents  a  problem  that 
calls  for  the  most  serious  thought  and  sympathetic  effort. 
Home  visitation  throughout  one's  own  parish  for  the  purpose 
of  getting  people  into  the  Sunday  school  or  to  attend  the 
church  services  may  be  as  real  missionary  work  as  that  done 
in  a  foreign  land.  Organized  adult  classes  are  getting  to  work 
as  Christian  citizens  in  investigating  the  saloon,  the  social 
evil,  the  city  or  town  government,  the  labor  question,  and  simi- 
lar problems  that  relate  to  the  welfare  of  the  community. 
Throwing  one's  energies  into  promoting  the  social  life  of  the 
church  may  be  as  acceptable  service  for  the  kingdom  of  God 
as  an  eloquent  exhortation  in  the  prayer  meeting  or  a  bril- 
liant essay  at  a  missionary  concert.  Martha,  who  was  *'  dis- 
tressed about  much  serving,"  was  trying  in  her  way  to  honor 
her  Lord  no  less  than  Mary,  "who  sat  at  His  feet  and  heard 


32  The  Modern  Church  ^"^^^ 

His  word."  In  a  score  of  ways  the  modem  Sunday  school 
has  become  not  only  an  invaluable  agency  in  educating  men 
and  women  for  Christian  service,  but  in  opening  opportunities 
for  them  to  engage  in  it. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Hand-work  in  the  Sunday  School,  by  Milton  S.  Littlefield,  Philadel" 
phia,  1908.  {2)  "  Manual  Methods,"  ch.  XII  in  Cope's  Modern  Sunday 
School  in  Principle  and  Practice.  {3)  "  The  Adult  Bible  Class  Movement," 
ch.  XVII,  ibid.  (4)  The  Adult  Department;  Reports  and  Addresses  in 
Official  Reports  of  the  Twelfth  and  the  Thirteenth  International  Sunday 
School  Conventions.  (5)  Adult  Class  Study,  by  Irving  F.  Wood,  Boston, 
1911. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  Why  should  Sunday  schools  be  provided  with  trained  teachers? 

2    To  what  extent  is  the  demand  being  met  at  the  present  time? 

3.  Mention  some  of  the  subjects  that  should  be  included  in  a  teacher 
training  course. 

4.  How  can  a  school  provide  itself  with  competent  teachers? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Mention  some  of  the  types  of  work  in  which  modern  Sunday  schools 
have  been  called  to  engage. 


2.  Why  is  the  work  of  the  Sunday  school  not  now  confined  to  simple 
Bible  study  as  in  former  times? 


3.  Why  has  hand-work  been  introduced  into  several  departments  of 
the  school? 


4.  What  forms  of  hand- work  are  suitable  to  the  Sunday  school? 


5.  What  cautions  need  to  be  observed  in  connection  with  the  employ- 
ment of  hand- work? 


6.  Describe  briefly  the  origin  and  progress  of  the  adult  class  movement 
in  England. 


•5**  Getting  and  Holding  the  Pupils  33 

7.  What  is  meant  in  this  country  by  an  organized  adult  class? 


8.  What  are  some  of  the  benefits  experienced  in  connection  with  organ- 
ized adult  classes? 


9.  How   do   modern   Sunday  schools   promote   efficiency  in  Christian 
service? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Make  a  list  of  the  various  activities  in  which  your  own  Sunday 
school  is  regularly  or  occasionally  engaged  aside  from  Bible  study. 

2.  What  forms  of  hand-work,  if  any,  are  used  in  your  school,  and  in 
what  grades? 

3.  Have  you  one  or  more  organized  adult  classes  in  your  school?  If  so, 
men,  women,  or  mixed?  Name  the  offices  and  committees;  describe  the 
various  means  by  which  interest  is  created  and  sustained;  what  additions 
come  to  the  church  from  the  class,  etc. 

If  you  have  not  an  organized  adult  class  in  your  own  school,  ascertain 
it  there  is  not  one  in  successful  operation  in  some  neighboring  school 
that  can  be  made  a  subject  of  study  and  used  as  an  object  lesson  for  your 
own  class. 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Is  hand- work  likely  to  promote  spiritual  impressions? 

2.  How  can  the  social  life  of  an  adult  class  be  made  tributary  to  religious 
interests? 

3.  Doesyourschoolholditsboysafter  they  are  thirteen  years  old?    Why? 


Lesson  6.     GETTING  AND  HOLDING  THE  PUPILS. 

Scripture  Reading:     How  Jesus  Won  Disciples.     Mk.  1:16-20;  Lu.  5:27, 

28;  Jo.  1  :  43-51. 

Note  1.  Having  the  Best  Possible  School.  The  problem  of 
getting  and  holding  the  pupils  resolves  itself  first  of  all  into  the 
problem  of  having  a  thoroughly  good  school.  By  this  is  meant 
a  school  that  does  good  work,  that  is  able  to  arouse  permanent 
interest,  and  that  meets  wisely  the  religious  ends  for  which 


34  The  Modern  Cktirck  ^^^^o** 

it  was  organized.  A  glance  at  the  preceding  lessons  will  suggest 
further  answers  to  the  question,  What  is  a  good  Sunday  school? 
It  is  {!)  one  whose  efforts  are  directed  toward  the  develop- 
ment of  Christian  character  and  training  for  Christian  service 
through  the  teaching  of  religious  truth ;  {2)  one  in  which  pupils 
are  graded;  {S)  one  whose  course  of  study  is  graded;  (4)  one 
that  has  a  constant  supply  of  trained  teachers;  {5)  one 
that  is  conducted  by  an  efficient  superintendent  who  meets 
the  requirements  of  his  position;  {6)  a  school  whose  officers 
and  teachers  are  sufficiently  progressive  to  value  new  methods 
and  adapt  them  to  their  own  use;  (7)  one  where  punctuality, 
order,  quietness,  and  good  discipline  are  maintained  without 
continuous  and  insistent  demands;  {8)  one  which  does  not 
confound  goodness  with  bigness;  and  {9)  one  that  is  permeated 
by  a  spirit  of  genuine  friendliness,  of  mutual  helpfulness,  of 
S3mipathy  in  one  another's  trials,  and  of  such  homelike  feeling 
that  attendance  will  be  a  real  delight.  Such  a  school  needs 
no  strenuous  efforts  to  boost  it  into  popularity.  It  advertises 
itself.  Those  who  belong  to  it  are  proud  of  it,  and  eager  to 
commend  it  to  their  friends  and  acquaintances.  Why  should 
a  Sunday  school  not  in  some  measure  arouse  the  same  enthusi- 
astic loyalty  as  a  high  school,  college,  or  university?  A  school 
from  which  children  and  youth  slip  away  as  soon  as  they  are 
released  from  parental  authority,  and  to  which  only  a  few 
elderly  persons  go  from  a  sheer  sense  of  duty,  may  resort  to 
the  most  approved  methods  for  recruiting  its  ranks,  but  the 
character  of  the  school  will  defeat  them  all.  Some  one  has 
said,  **  Have  a  good  meal  ready  when  you  ring  the  bell." 
Failure  here  means  failure  everywhere. 

Note  2.  Getting  the  Pupils.  A  Sunday  school  that 
courageously  sets  before  itself  high  ideals  and  earnestly  strives 
to  realize  them  is  nevertheless  justified  in  employing  all  legiti- 
mate means  for  enlarging  its  membership.  It  may  not  need  to 
advertise  itself,  but  it  is  its  Christian  duty  to  do  so  as  long  as 
there  is  a  vacant  seat  or  a  spare  comer  in  the  church  building. 
There  are  multitudes  who,  without  some  special  effort  in  their 
behalf,  will  not  respond  to  the  mere  fact  that  a  good  school 
exists  in  their  neighborhood.  They  have  not  for  years,  perhaps 
never,  been  interested  in  religious  matters.  They  are  indifferent 
because  they  do  not  know  their  value.  Life  insurance  in  nimiber- 
less  cases  has  brought  comfort  and  help  in  the  hour  of  need, 


•S»*  Getting  and  Holding  the  Pupils  35 

and  yet  only  a  small  part  of  those  who  have  insured  would 
ever  have  done  so  but  for  the  tactful  and  persuasive  appeals 
of  an  agent.  Jesus  Himself  did  not  wait  for  disciples  to  join 
Him,  but  extended  the  personal  call.  People  who  are  not  reli- 
giously inclined  must  have  their  interest  kindled  by  those  who 
have  experienced  the  uplifting  and  strengthening  power  of 
Christ's  gospel.  The  better  the  school,  the  more  it  is  justified 
in  using  all  proper  means  to  increase  its  membership. 

A  good  end,  however,  does  not  justify  the  employment  of 
questionable  means.  The  large  boimties  offered  toward  the 
close  of  the  Civil  War  for  recruits  stimulated  in  a  multitude  of 
cases,  not  patriotism,  but  mere  "  bounty- jumping,"  that  is, 
desertion  at  the  first  opportunity  after  the  bounty  had  been 
received.  The  offering  of  prizes  in  the  Sunday  school  operates 
in  much  the  same  way.  One  who  works  merely  for  a  prize 
will  stop  when  it  is  gained.  Those  who  are  brought  in  under 
such  a  stimulus  are  not  likely  to  become  permanently  interested. 
Often  the  inducements  are  offered  to  the  new  pupil  himself  in 
the  form  of  free  attendance  at  the  stmimer  picnic  or  a  present 
on  the  Christmas  tree.  When  the  occasion  has  passed,  the 
place  that  knew  him  for  a  few  Srmdays  knows  him  no  more. 
A  somewhat  frequent,  but  also  questionable,  means  for  getting 
new  scholars  is  starting  contests  between  different  sections, 
departments,  or  classes  of  the  school,  the  winning  party  being 
banqueted  by  those  who  lose.  Aside  from  the  fact  that  many 
would  regard  this  as  gambling,  it  introduces  a  spirit  of  rivalry 
that  not  unfrequently  operates  injuriously.  Furthermore, 
any  scheme  that  brings  in  a  large  number  at  once  is  lil<:ely  to 
make  trouble.  One  may  get  down  a  lot  of  fruit  by  shaking  the 
tree,  but  for  long  keeping  hand-picked  fruit  is  best.  The 
crowds  who  were  attracted  by  the  mighty  words  and  works 
of  Christ  soon  fell  away;  the  disciples  whom  He  called  one  by 
one  staid  by  Him,  with  one  sad  exception,  to  the  end. 

The  best  way  to  get  people  into  the  Sunday  school  is  to  go 
after  them  and  stick  to  them  until  they  come.  Who  shall  do 
this?  The  pastor  or  the  superintendent?  Alas,  their  time  is 
limited,  and  they  cannot  be  everywhere.  By  paid  visitors? 
Yes,  if  the  right  kind  can  be  found.  But,  even  so,  there  is 
much  that  can  and  should  be  done  by  the  members  of  the 
school.  They  constitute  the  most  effective  recruiting  agency. 
In  the  doing  of  this  work  they  also  receive  the  spiritual  stimulus 
that  always  attends  religious  work  done  for  others.    Sometimes 


36  The  Modern  Church  ^^'"^ 

all  that  is  needed  to  win  a  child  or  -a  family  is  a  pleasant  smile 
and  a  kind  word.  Sometimes  protracted  efforts  may  be  needed, 
but  if  only  one  child  is  won  that  is  ample  reward.  Besides, 
through  the  child  a  way  is  often  found  into  the  hearts  of  the 
parents,  when  other  avenues  are  closed. 

The  territory  covered  by  a  school  ought  to  be  thoroughly 
canvassed,  and  if  possible  by  several  denominations  cooperating. 
It  should  be  mapped  out,  and  then  subdivided  into  small 
districts,  each  of  which  is  to  be  assigned  to  one  or  more  workers. 
Their  first  duty  will  be  to  find  out  the  religious  affiliations  of 
the  residents  in  their  districts.  The  name,  chiu-ch  attended  or 
preferred,  number  of  children  in  a  family,  and  the  ntunber  in 
Sunday  school  should  be  written  on  a  card.  When  these  are 
gathered  in  and  alphabetically  arranged  they  will  form  a  card- 
catalogue  which  can  easily  be  kept  up  to  date  by  noting  changes 
as  they  are  reported  by  visitors.  All  proper  efforts  should 
then  be  made  to  get  the  children  unconnected  with  any  Sunday 
school  to  begin  attendance  at  once.  Where  a  family  is  tmable 
to  provide  the  necessary  clothing  a  little  timely  help  will  usually 
be  received  with  gratitude.  Nor  should  the  effort  to  win  new 
members  be  confined  to  the  children  alone.  The  adtdt  classes 
should  be  impressed  with  the  duty  of  persuading  their  grown- 
up neighbors  to  attend.  Adults  may  be  harder  to  win  than 
children,  but  they  are  worth  the  effort.  Nothing  of  real  worth 
is  accomplished  without  work.  Every  member  of  the  school 
should  act  on  the  conviction  that  the  school  is  in  business  for  the 
kingdom  of  God  not  on  Sunday  only,  but  every  day  in  the  week. 

The  Home  Department  offers  a  fine  field  from  which  to 
recruit  the  school.  Many  who  thinlc  they  cannot  find  time  to 
attend  the  main  school  become  so  interested  in  the  study  of 
the  lesson  at  home  that  presently  they  are  found  in  a  class.  It 
has  happened  that  "  a  Home  Department  lived  six  months 
and  then  died.  But  there  was  no  funeral,  and  there  were  no 
motimers.  All  the  members  of  this  Home  Department,  thirty 
in  number,  became  members  of  the  main  school.  They  got  a 
taste,  and  they  wanted  more." 

Note  3.  Holding  the  Pupils.  For  the  average  school,  as 
usually  conducted,  a  harder  problem  than  getting  pupils  is 
holding  them.  Unlike  the  day  school,  the  Sunday  school 
cannot  send  a  truant  officer  after  the  delinquents  or  punish 
them  for  staying  away.    If  they  are  held  at  all  it  must  be  by 


•^**  Getting  and  Holding  t)ie  Pupils  37 

a  moral  attraction  strong  enough  to  counteract  natural  indo- 
lence, the  call  of  the  street,  Sunday  newspapers,  excursions, 
and  social  gossip.  The  first  step  toward  holding  a  pupil  is  to 
get  him  so  interested  in  the  work  of  the  school  that  he  will  want 
to  come.  Where  a  school  meets  this  test,  there  will  be  little 
need  of  strenuous  efforts  to  reclaim  wanderers.  Still,  even  in 
a  really  good  school,  a  teacher  will  not  rely  wholly  on  the  class 
work  to  hold  the  members,  but  will  enHst  the  aid  of  the  parents 
and  supplement  this  with  personal  visits  especially  in  case  of 
sickness  or  trouble.  It  will  be  miuch  easier  to  adapt  the  instruc- 
tion to  the  exact  needs  of  the  pupil  if  the  teacher  knows  his 
home  environment.  If  a  boy  stays  away  several  Sundays  and 
no  one  tries  to  bring  him  back,  it  is  not  unnatujral  for  him  to 
conclude  that  his  presence  is  not  deemed  very  important. 
Every  new  pupil  should  at  once  be  given  to  understand  that 
he  is  expected  not  only  to  stay  in  the  school  but  to  be  present 
every  Sunday.  A  school  that  promotes  its  pupils  from  grade  to 
grade  and  gives  a  diploma  at  the  completion  of  the  cotirse  of 
study  should  have  it  understood  that  regularity  in  attendance 
is  one  of  the  conditions  on  which  the  diploma  is  awarded. 

Where  a  school  is  not  graded  other  means  have  to  be  devised 
to  stop  leakage.  Such  are  rewards  or  prizes  and  honor  rolls, 
posted  in  some  conspicuous  place  where  pupils  can  see  their 
own  names.  The  Simday  school  secretary's  weekly  record 
should  show  separately  the  attendance  o  males  and  females 
in  each  grade.  Then  a  curve  can  be  constructed  that  will  show 
the  hold  of  the  Sunday  school  on  each  sex  at  every  age.  At  a 
certain  Sunday  school  in  connection  with  the  annual  Exhibit 
of  Pupils'  Work,  a  secretary's  annual  report  was  exhibited  which 
included,  among  other  things  the  following  statistical  charts: 


Highest  Enrolment  during  the  Season   170 
(Boys,  80         Girls,  90) 

Average  Attendance 71% 

(Boys,  73%.        Girls,  69%.) 

Amount  Given  and  Raised  for  Others,   $303 
Day  Nursery  .         .         ,         $129 

Chinese  Famine  Sufferers       .  48 

Nanking  University        .         .  71 

Other  Good  Causes        .         .  55 


The  Modern  Church  "^^"°" 


Percentage   of  Attendance   by    Grades,   1911-1912 

GRADE  PER   CENT 

IV 80 

V 77 

III 77 

I.     High  School  Boys 76 

VIII.     Girls 76 

VII 75 

I.     High  School  Girls       .......  71 

VI 70 

Kindergarten 70 

1 69 

VIII.     Boys 68 

II 59 


Among  other  things  these  charts  help  to  show,  {!)  That 
school  holds  its  boys  as  well  as  its  girls ;  and  {2)  that  the  school 
holds  its  pupils  of  adolescent  age  as  well  as  the  younger  ones. 
A  further  illustration  of  how  pupils  of  this  age  can  be  held  is 
shown  in  the  accompanying  tables  (pp.  39,  40)  reproduced 
by  permission  from  The  Child  Welfare  Exhibit  in  New  York. 

Teachers  should  also  keep  a  record  of  individual  attendance, 
conduct,  knowledge  of  the  lesson,  offering,  and  other  matters 
of  interest  to  be  reported  quarterly  to  the  parents.  Every 
absence  should  be  noted  and  followed  up  not  only  by  letters, 
but  by  personal  visits.  Ordinarily  teachers  who  are  interested 
in  their  classes  will  find  time  to  do  this;  but  when  a  teacher 
cannot  find  time  to  do  it,  or  needs  assistance,  there  should  be 
a  committee  appointed  by  the  superintendent  ready  to  give  all 
needed  help.  Whenever  a  pupil  drops  out  of  the  school  he 
should  be  reported  to  the  superintendent  at  once  that  steps  may 
be  taken  promply  to  restore  him.  The  longer  he  remains  away 
the  harder  it  will  be  to  bring  him  back.  One  who  has  been 
absent  for  a  considerable  time  will  often  have  his  interest 
revived  by  a  pressing  invitation  to  be  present  at  some  special 
service  as  Rally  Day,  Easter  Sunday,  the  Christmas  festival, 
the  annual  picnic,  or  a  Sunday  school  sociable. 

A  mechanical  performance  of  these  duties  will  have  little 
power  to  win  back  those  who  have  strayed  from  the  school. 
Back  of  all  visits,  letters,  and  invitations  there  must  be  a  spirit 
of  love  and  sympathy  that  will  seek  the  straggler  not  merely 
to  fill  a  vacant  seat  in  the  school,  but  for  his  own  sake.  If  a 
teacher  in  some  measure  reaHzes  the  responsibility  and  privilege 
of  his  position,  will  he  not  enter  into  the  anxiety  of  the  good 


Six 


Getting  and  Holding  the  Pupils 

WANTED 

A  Department  of  Child  Training 
in  Every  Church 

With  a  System  of  ilccounts  thatShowS' 

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vMlh  Chifdrcn        JOUici  W'oiMvcr^ 
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Etc 

With  Records  that  SfiowlheEfflciencv 
of  the  Department 


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to  ci\rolhucnl  for  each 
fl^c  and  scx'fhis 
record  will  reveal  the 
hold  of  the  school  and 
of  each  class 


2.  Relation  of  Dcp'i  of  Child  1iainiiv<  to  Chuivh 
Troportion  of  Tiipils  who  advance  to 
confirmation  or  full  mciutx^rship 
Proportion  of  Pupil?  who  become  teachers 
clergymen  or  other  Chuixh  Workers 

3.  Relation  to  Co  m  m  u  n  1 1>' 

]]  record  of  each  piipiVs  life  in  the  Sunday 
Sctiool  the  Church,  the  Coniniunitv 

Ladx  of  information  on  Hksc  pouits  on  ihc 
part  of  Churche?  obstructs  llns  "Exhibit  and 

Handicaps  the  Sunday  Schools.. 


40 


The  Modern  Church 


Lessor 


The  hold 

of  the  Sunday  School  upon  its 
PUPILS 

J\  School 
that  LOSES 
its  HOLD 
EARLY 


ulia,  c'TAttmil'UT 

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that  RETAINS 

its  HOLD 

throu^  the 

TEENS 


Notice  the  loss,  between  14- and  19 


IhstniuUwi  af^-Htmaatr  onu/i  Ontiihiri/ctuMiaf, 


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•'-':''■  ']-":'{ '  " '""'  '^ "■' 

MM      M  1  M  1 

How  Does  This  School 
RETAIN  ITS  HOLD? 

1.  A  dcfinilc  tunc  lor  gmdiLnl ion  (L'>vcai^) 

2.  E  wry  cL\ss  organized  as  in  W\^\\  School 

CCjassof  I0ll.l9l2.ctc) 

3.EwrvTGacheraSub.ra5tor    [f^f-^^-^ 


4. Every  gauipooesacfinitc  Christian  Service? 
Xc/pmpooi: 
yfsidfu/  sfuU-I/is. 

5.,/In  TlUnuui  dissociation 


•^**  Getting  and  Holding  the  Pupils  41 

shepherd,  when  one  of  his  sheep  has  strayed  from  the  flock, 
**  and  go  after  that  which  is  lost,  until  he  find  if  ?  And  shotild 
not  the  whole  school  share  in  the  teacher's  joy  as  he,  like  the 
shepherd,  exclaims,  "  Rejoice  with  me,  for  I  have  found  my 
sheep  which  was  lost"  (Lu.  15  :4-7)? 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  "  Recruiting  and  Retaining  Pupils,"  ch.  VIII  in  Cope's  The  Modern 
Sunday  School;  a  good  form  of  quarterly  Report  Card  is  shown  on  p.  81, 
by  means  of  which  "  The  home  is  reminded  at  least  four  times  a  year  of 
what  the  child  is  doing  in  the  Sunday  school."  (2)  Mead:  Modern  Methods 
in  Sunday  School  Work,  pp.  127-182,  contains  three  chapters  on  "  Ways 
of  Securing  Regular  and  Punctual  Attendance  and  Perfect  Records"; 
"Ways  of  Holding  and  Regaining  Absent  Scholars";  and  "Ways  of 
Reaching  and  Securing  New  Scholars."  These  chapters  are  packed  with 
valuable  suggestions  and  forms  of  letters,  invitations,  and  other  printed 
material  found  helpful  in  successful  schools.  (3)  Trailer  The  Sunday 
School  Teachers'  School,  Philadelphia,  1909,  pp.  203-211.  (4)  Lawrance: 
How  to  Conduct  a  Sunday  School,  pp.  119-128,  New  York,  1905. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  Indicate  some  of  the  broader  interests  of  modern  Sunday  schools 
as  compared  with  earlier  ones. 

2.  State  some  reasons  why  hand-work  has  found  a  large  place  in  pro- 
gressive schools. 

3.  What  is  an  organized  adult  class? 

4.  In  what  ways  has  the  organization  of  classes  proved  a  benefit? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  is  the  primary  and  essential  requisite  in  getting  and  holding 
pupils  in  Sunday  schools? 


2.  Mention  some  of  the  distinctive  features  of  a  thoroughly  good  school. 


3.  Why  is  a  Sunday  school  in  duty  bound  to  use  all  proper  means  to 
increase  its  membership? 


4.  Indicate  some  questionable  means  for  enlarging  the  attendance^ 


42  The  Modern  Church  ^«^o« 

5.  What  is  the  best  way  to  secure  new  scholars? 

6.  How  can  a  Sunday  school  get  acquainted  with  its  field? 


7.  As  compared  with  the  day  school,  under  what  disadvantage  does 
the  Sunday  school  rest  in  holding  pupils? 


8.  What  can  a  graded  school  do  to  promote  regular  attendance? 


9.  What  measures  can  be  adopted  in  an  ungraded  school  to  hold  the 
pupils? 


10.  What  should  be  the  attitude  of  the  teacher  and  of  the  school  toward 
the  lost  and  found? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  many  members  of  your  school  have  dropped  out  during  the 
past  year? 

2.  What  efforts  have  been  made  to  reclaim  those  who  have  not  moved 
away? 

3.  How  many  new  scholars  has  your  school  gained  during  the  past  year? 

4.  How  many  of  the  new  scholars  have  dropped  out? 

5.  What  is  the  average  length  of  the  period  through  which  the  members 
of  your  school  remain  connected  with  it? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

How  can  your  class,  or  school,  get  so  strong  a  hold  on  its  members  that 
they  will  regard  an  absence  for  a  single  session  as  a  personal  loss? 

What  benefit  would  follow  from  interdenominational  cooperation  in  a 
campaign  for  new  pupils? 


•Sw^  The  Modern  Pulpit  43 

Lesson  7.    THE  MODERN  PULPIT. 

Scripture  Reading:  "  They  Went  about  Preaching  the  Word."  Acts  8: 1-8. 

Note  1.     The  Place  of  Preaching  in  the  Christian  Church. 

Preaching  as  a  part  of  public  worsliip  originated  in  the  Jewish 
synagogues  a  century  or  two  before  the  Christian  era.  At 
first  it  was  merely  an  explanation  of  a  passage  of  Scripture, 
but  in  course  of  time  it  developed  into  the  sermonic  form 
designed  to  inculcate  morality  and  reHgion.  The  preaching  of 
John  the  Baptist  was  chiefly  an  announcement  that  the  king- 
dom of  God  was  at  hand  (Mt.  3  :2-12).  The  character  of 
Jesus'  ministry  was  threefold:  "Jesus  went  about  in  all  Galilee 
teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and  preaching  the  gospel  of  the 
kingdom,  and  healing  all  manner  of  disease  "  (Mt.  4:23). 
He  sent  out  the  Twelve  to  preach  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house 
of  Israel (  Mt.  10:6,  7).  The  message  of  the  Christian  church 
to  the  world  began  with  Peter's  sermon  on  the  day  of  Pentecost 
(Acts  2  :  1-8).  After  the  death  of  Stephen  "  They  that  were 
scattered  abroad  went  about  preaching  the  word  "  (Acts  8:4). 
Philip  preached  Christ  in  Samaria  and  to  the  Ethiopian  eunuch 
(vss.  5,  35).  From  first  to  last  the  work  of  Paul  was  mainly 
*'  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  teaching  the  things 
concerning  the  Lord  Jesus"  (Acts  9:20;  28:31).  From  the 
Apostolic  age  to  our  own  preaching  has  continued  to  be  the 
main  work  of  the  Christian  minister,  except  during  the  middle 
ages  when  religious  ceremonies  came  to  be  considered  vastly 
more  important.  The  Protestant  reformation  set  aside  purely 
ritual  worship  and  reinstated  the  minister  in  the  pulpit  as 
his  throne.  Those  who  have  been  and  are  now  most  effective 
in  building  up  in  the  world  the  kingdom  of  God  have  been  men 
whose  learning  and  eloquence  have  been  dedicated  to  a  fearless 
proclamation  of  the  saving  truths  of  Christianity. 

Note  2.    The  Permanency  of  Preaching  in  Public  Worship. 

There  was  a  time  not  very  long  ago  when  the  pulpit  was  practi- 
cally the  only  source  of  information  in  the  community.  Life 
was  simple.  The  enormous  complexity  of  modem  conditions 
was  unknown.  The  chief  end  of  life  in  this  world  was  thought 
to  be  preparation  for  the  world  to  come.  There  were  few  books 
and  no  newspapers.  The  family  library  consisted  of  a  Bible, 
a  catechism,  a  hymn  book,  and  for  devotional  reading  a  few 
treatises   like  Bunyan's    **  Pilgrim's   Progress,"    and   Baxter's 


44  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°" 

"  Call  to  the  Unconverted,"  or  "  The  Saints'  Everlasting 
Rest."  The  **  dominie"  was  the  only  learned  man  in  the 
community.  All  the  people  went  to  hear  him  because  they  had 
nowhere  else  to  go.  But  things  have  changed  mightily  since 
then.  The  simple  requirements  then  fulfilled  by  the  pulpit  are 
now  met  by  a  hundred  agencies.  The  best  religious  thought 
is  brought  to  every  one's  door.  Thousands  of  religious  news- 
papers and  magazines  deal  with  every  aspect  of  denominational 
and  general  church  life.  Even  the  secular  press  deals  with 
religious  matters  of  current  interest,  and  prints  in  full  the 
seraions  of  distinguished  preachers.  In  these  circumstances 
has  not  the  pulpit  had  its  day  ?  Is  it  not  about  to  be  super  eded 
by  the  printing-press  ?  Is  it  not  more  edifying  to  read  quietly 
and  thoughtfully  some  masterpiece  of  religious  literature  than 
to  listen  to  an  average  sermon  that,  if  it  does  not  positively 
irritate,  leaves  one  listless  and  uninspired?  There  are  multi- 
tudes who  feel  this  way. 

Plausible  as  such  arguments  may  seem,  they  are  not  convinc- 
ing. The  fact  is  that  there  never  was  a  time  when  effective 
preaching  was  in  such  demand  as  it  is  to-day.  The  people  are 
himgry  for  it.  The  churches  are  clamoring,  not  for  mere  scholars 
and  orators,  but  for  real  preachers  who  can  bring  some  word 
of  God  from  their  innermost  souls  to  the  hearts  and  con- 
sciences of  their  hearers.  Printed  seiTQons,  religious  books 
or  essays,  can  never  take  the  place  of  the  living  preacher.  Real 
preaching  can  never  lose  its  power  so  long  as  souls  remain  re- 
sponsive to  the  magic  of  the  human  voice,  to  lips  that  have 
been  touched  by  a  live  coal  from  God's  altar,  and  that  bring 
messages  that  have  been  wrought  out  in  the  travail  of  the 
speaker's  own  soul.  A  man  who  has  caught  the  vision  of 
spiritual  things,  who  has  entered  into  personal  "  fellowship 
with  the  Father  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,"  and  who  from 
that  vantage  ground  is  able  to  interpret  men  to  themselves 
and  to  unravel  the  tangled  problems  of  life,  will  never  be  left 
without  hearers.  He  crosses  no  "  dead  line  "  at  the  meridian 
of  life.  On  the  contrary  his  message  grows  richer  and  stronger 
with  the  passing  years. 

Note  3.  The  Preacher's  Mission.  We  expect  many  things 
of  the  minister  to-day  that  were  not  required  in  past  times. 
We  expect  him  of  course  to  "  bear  witness  to  the  truth,"  and 
to  "  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  which  was  once  for  all 


•5^^«  The  Modern  Pulpit  45 

delivered  unto  the  saints."  The  essential  truths  and  historical 
facts  that  constitute  the  foundations  of  Christianity  remain  the 
same  from  age  to  age,  but  each  age  must  interpret  them  anew 
and  incarnate  them  in  its  .own  life.  The  preacher  accordingly 
must  address  himself  to  contemporary  life.  This  is  especially 
needed  in  our  time  that  is  witnessing  greater  changes  in  every 
realm  of  thought  and  action  than  have  been  experienced  in  a 
hundred  generations  that  preceded  it.  The  whole  frame- 
work of  society  is  being  reconstructed.  New  problems  are 
arising  on  every  hand.  Moral  questions  are  assimiing  an  ahnost 
baffling  complexity.  We  cannot  expect  a  minister  to  become 
an  expert  in  philosophy,  the  natural  sciences,  science,  economics, 
and  sociology.  But  we  may  expect  him  to  recognize  the  fact  that 
religion  is  interw^oven  with  all  human  interests,  and  that  it  is  his 
mission  not  merely  to  preach  dr^^  dogmas  and  to  exhort  people  to 
be  good,  but  to  make  himself  intelligently  acquainted  with  the 
intellectual  and  social  movements  of  our  time  and  to  interpret 
them  to  us  from  a  moral  standpoint.  People  do  not  want  him 
to  preach  geology,  or  astronomy,  or  hygiene,  or  politics  or 
economics,  or  sociology.  What  they  want  along  these,  or  a 
htindred  similar,  lines  they  can  get  much  better  from  text-books 
prepared  by  specialists.  But  they  do  want  him  to  help  them 
understand  these  things  in  the  light  of  morality  and  rehgion. 
The  preacher's  mission  is  to  interpret  God  and  the  world  and 
human  life  and  duty  in  the  terms  of  modem  thinking. 

Note  4.  The  Preacher's  Sermon.  Preaching  is  always  a 
religious  address,  but  a  religious  address  is  not  always  preach- 
ing. As  popularly  understood,  a  sermon  is  a  religious  discourse 
based  on  a  passage  of  Scripture.  The  passage  so  used  is  called 
the  text,  and  from  it  the  preacher  derives  the  theme  which  he 
develops  in  his  sermon.  A  sermon  may  be  addressed  to  one  or 
the  other  of  two  classes — those  who  are  followers  of  Christ  or 
those  who  are  not.  When  addressed  to  the  former  class  its 
main  purpose  is  by  instruction  in  religious  truth  to  promote 
growth  of  the  personal  Christian  life  and  more  effective  service 
in  the  cause  of  Christ.  When  addressed  to  those  who  have  not 
entered  on  the  Christian  life,  the  main  purpose  of  the  sermon 
is  their  conversion.  Usually,  however,  the  preacher  addresses 
both  classes.  Hence  he  tries  to  combine  instruction  and 
exhortation  so  as  to  give  his  discoiu-se  an  immediate  and  practi- 
cal value  for  all  who  hear  him.    A  sermon,  if  you  observe  it 


46  The  Modern  Church  ^^'^^ 

carefully,  never  undertakes  to  handle  more  than  one  theme. 
This  was  understood  by  the  colored  brother  who,  chafing  under 
such  a  restriction,  claimed  that  he  was  not  a  preacher  but  only 
an  exhorter,  because  "  The  preacher,"  he  said,  "takes  a  text 
and  sticks  to  it,  but  the  exhorter  branches  off."  A  well-con- 
structed sermon  is  a  unity,  and  it  aims  at  a  single  result.  In 
the  attainment  of  this  aim  it  may  use  explanation  of  Scripture, 
instruction  in  Christian  doctrine,  argument  in  defense  of  the 
theme,  praise  or  condemnation,  together  with  illustrations 
drawn  from  the  whole  range  of  human  interests.  But  however 
the  sermon  is  developed,  it  should  aim  to  drive  home  to  the 
mind  and  conscience  the  truth  set  forth  in  the  theme  or  the 
duty  enforced  by  it.  While  a  sermon,  accordingly,  may  in- 
struct, it  must  quicken  the  appreciation  of  moral  and  spiritual 
things  and  move  the  will  to  right  action. 

Note  5.  How  to  Listen  to  the  Preacher.  The  assimiption 
is  that,  as  listeners,  we  do  not  come  in  a  critical  or  hostile 
mood.  If  that  is  the  case,  we  are  practically  debarred  from  the 
special  kind  of  benefit  which  the  sermon  is  designed  to  impart. 
To  receive  help  we  must  come  with  a  sense  of  our  spiritual 
need  and  in  a  receptive  attitude  toward  the  preacher's  utterances. 
If  it  should  happen  that  we  are  familiar  with  the  instructional 
part  of  the  sermon,  nevertheless  we  should  realize  that  we  do 
need  that  spiritual  quickening  which  it  is  designed  to  convey. 
To  this  end  taking  notes  of  the  discourse  is  often  of  real  value, 
especially  to  young  persons.  Note  how  the  sermon  uses  the 
text,  how  the  theme  is  developed,  but  above  all  we  should 
observe  how  the  moral  and  religious  teachings  are  related  to  our 
own  lives. 

Note  6.  How  to  Help  the  Preacher.  It  would  be  doing 
the  thousands  of  earnest  and  devoted  preachers  of  our  time 
a  great  injustice  to  hold  them  alone  responsible  for  the  lack  of 
interest  in  preaching  on  the  part  of  certain  elements  in  our 
popidation.  Aside  from  the  adverse  conditions,  mentioned 
above  (Note  2),  that  prevail  throughout  the  modem  world, 
we  must  not  forget  that  effective  preaching  requires  sympathetic 
listening.  The  practical  result  depends  as  much  on  the  latter 
as  on  the  former.  In  the  parable  of  the  sower  (Mt.  13:3-9) 
our  Lord  showed  that  the  harvest  depended  as  much  on  the 
receptiveness  of  the  soil  as  on  the  quality  of  the  seed  and  the 
skill  of  the  sower.    About  Jesus  Himself  the  people  thronged 


Seven 


The  Modern  Pulpit     -  47 


from  all  directions  and  were  astonished  at  His  teaching,  even 
the  temple  officers  affirming,  "  Never  man  so  spake,"  yet  only 
a  small  nimiber  became  His  permanent  followers.  Listening 
to  sermons  has  become  with  many  churchgoers,  even  with 
many  professing  Christians,  rather  a  matter  of  sentimental 
entertainment  than  of  spiritual  culture.  The  sermon  is  put 
on  the  same  level  and  judged  in  the  same  way  as  a  lecture  on 
the  nebular  hypothesis  or  on  Browning's  poetry.  It  is  esteemed 
according  to  its  power  to  create  a  momentary  and  wholly 
impersonal  interest.  It  is  only  natural  for  hearers  of  that  kind 
to  drift  from  church  to  church.  Like  gypsies,  they  have  no 
fixed  abode.  To  profit  by  preaching  one  must  be  not  merely 
an  auditor  but  a  participant.  One  must  establish  a  common 
interest  with  the  preacher  and  the  church,  aiding  in  its  work 
and  consulting  its  prosperity.  Business  and  domestic  cares 
must  be  left  outside.  The  words  addressed  to  a  church  some 
fifty  years  ago  at  the  installation  of  a  pastor  are  as  pertinent 
now  as  then:  "  I  suggest  that  you  pray  for  your  minister 
daily;  guard  his  reputation  carefully;  hear  him  preach  weekly; 
listen  to  the  word  wakefully;  treasure  it  up  joyfully;  practice 
it  faithfully;  labor  with  him  sympathetically  both  individually 
and  collectively;  attend  the  prayer  and  conference  meeting 
constantly;  support  the  Sunday  school  heartily;  pay  him 
promptly ;  give  him  a  bit  of  meat  and  a  ball  of  butter  occasion- 
ally; call  on  him  frequently,  but  tarry  briefly;  greet  him  cordi- 
ally, but  not  rudely;  and  may  the  God  of  all  grace  bless  you 
abimdantly,  and  add  unto  you  daily  such  as  shall  be  saved 
eternally."  Hearers  of  that  type  are  a  perpetual  inspiration 
to  any  preacher,  and  they  rarely  listen  to  a  sermon  from  which 
they  cannot  get  some  spiritual  benefit. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Greer:  The  Preacher  and  His  Place,  New  York,  1904,  pp.  37-101. 
(S)  Abbott:  The  Christian  Ministry,  Boston  and  New  York,  1905,  pp. 
35-165.  (3)  Faunce:  The  Educational  Ideal  of  the  Ministry,  New  York, 
1908,  pp.  1-38.  (4)  Gladden:  The  Christian  Pastor  and  the  Working  Church, 
New  York,  1901,  pp.  107-121.  (5)  Articles  on  "  Preaching  "  in  Bible 
Dictionaries. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  Mention  some  of  the  distinctive  features  of  a  good  Sunday  school. 

2.  What  methods  are  to  be  commended  in  getting  new  scholars? 

3.  How  shall  a  Sunday  school  get  acquainted  with  its  territory? 


48  The  Modern  Church  ^"^^ 

4.  Describe  some  ways  by  which  scholars  may  be  retained  in  the  Sunday 
school. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  place  did  preaching  occupy  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus  and  His 
disciples? 


2.  What  place  has  preaching  held  in  the  church  since  the  Apostolic  age] 


3.  Why  must  preaching  continue  to  be  a  part  of  public  worship? 


4.  What  is  the  essential  part  of  the  preacher's  mission? 


5.  What  should  be  the  preacher's  attitude  toward  the  intellectual  and 
social  movements  of  our  time? 


6.  What  is  the  nature  and  purpose  of  a  sermon? 


7.  In  what  frame  of  mind  should  we  listen  to  sermons? 


8.  Show  why  the  preacher  is  not  always  to  blame  for  popular  lack  of 
interest  in  preaching. 


9.  How  can  the  hearer  help  to  make  the  preacher's  message  effective? 


^*sht  Public  Worship  49 

SPECIAL  SUBJECTS  FOR  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  proportion  of  your  Sunday  school  is  present  at  the  preaching 
service? 

2.  What  seems  to  you  to  be  the  purpose  of  preaching  as  you  Hsten  to  it? 

3.  Of  how  many  of  your  pastor's  sermons  during  the  last  month  can  you 
state  the  text  and  subject? 

4.  In  what  ways  have  you  tried  to  make  your  pastor's  sermons  helpful 
to  yourself  and  to  others? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  In  view  of  prevailing  conditions  in  the  modern  world  what  is  the 
preacher's   task   to-day? 

2.  Do  you  believe  that  the  preacher  in  his  sermons  should  not  meddle 
with   politics? 

3.  How  far  should  the  preacher  direct  his  attention  to  questions  of  civic 
betterment? 


Lesson  8.    PUBLIC  WORSHIP. 

Scripture  Reading:  A  Call  to  Worship.     Ps.  96. 

Note  1.  The  Meaning  of  Worship.  Professor  William 
Adams  Brown  in  his  Essence  of  Christianity  defines  Christianity 
as  "  The  reHgion  of  divine  sonship  and  human  brotherhood 
revealed  and  realized  through  Jesus  Christ."  The  Deity  whom 
Jesus  revealed  is  not  merely  our  Creator  and  Sovereign,  the 
Supreme  Being  in  the  universe,  but  our  loving  Father  in  heaven 
who  cares  for  us,  provides  for  our  needs,  and  who  has  made 
us  for  fellowship  with  Himself.  "  Behold  what  manner  of  love 
the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us  that  we  should  be  called  the 
sons  of  God" ;  and  such  we  are.  If  God  is  our  Farther  and  we  are 
His  children,  then  a  realization  on  our  part  of  this  exalted  dig- 
nity should  be  our  supreme  privilege  and  duty.  Worship  is  the 
act  in  which  we  express  and  stimulate  otrr  realization  of  this 
fellowship,  and  bring  ourselves  into  such  vital  relation  to  the 
Father  that  we  obtain  inspiration  to  know  and  to  do  His 
will.  Public  worship  is  the  act  by  which  congregations  at  fixed 
times  and  places  seek  to  realize  this  fellowship  and  to  obtain 
this  inspiration. 

Note  2.  Antecedents  of  Christian  Worship.  The  religious 
beliefs  of  the  Hebrews  expressed  themselves  in  external  worship. 
The  earlier  forms  were  sacrifices,  and  offerings  of  food  at  sacred 


50  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^o" 

feasts,  similar  no  doubt  to  those  of  the  nations  around  them. 
But  as  the  Hebrew  conception  of  Jehovah  gradually  imfolded 
into_  that  of  a  supreme  Deity  whose  distinguishing  moral 
attribute  was  righteousness,  so  worship  also  became  more 
organized  and  expressive  of  the  reverence  felt  for  Him.  This 
process  culminated  in  the  elaborate  ritual  of  the  Temple, 
conducted  by  an  aristocratic  and  powerful  priestly  class. 
After  the  destruction  of  the  Temple  and  the  dispersion  of  the 
chosen  people  a  simpler  and  more  spiritual  form  of  worship 
was  developed  in  the  synagogues  that  sprang  up  in  every 
community  of  devout  Jews.  With  the  rebuilding  of  the  Temple 
the  national  worship  was  again  centralized  at  Jerusalem. 
In  the  time  of  Jesus  it  was  conducted  with  great  pomp  and 
splendor.  Nevertheless,  the  local  synagogues  remained  as 
places  for  the  study  of  the  divine  law,  for  prayer,  and  for  praise. 
The  early  Christian  worship,  which  was  essentially  devo- 
tional, was  modeled  on  that  of  the  synagogue,  and  naturally 
emphasized  the  work  of  the  prophet  rather  than  that  of  the 
priest.  Believers,  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  "  spake  one  to 
another  in  psalms,  and  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs  "  (Eph. 
5  :  19,  20).  In  the  correspondence  between  Pliny  the  younger 
and  the  emperor  Trajan,  about  a.d.  112,  respecting  the  pun- 
ishment of  Christians,  Pliny  was  forced  to  admit  that  he 
could  find  nothing  worse  against  them  than  that  **  they  were 
accustomed  to  meet  together  on  a  set  day,  before  dawn,  and 
sing  responsive  hymns  to  Christ  as  their  God,  and  to  pledge 
themselves  in  a  sacrament  to  abstain  from  every  form  of  evil, 
to  commit  no  theft,  rapine,  or  adtdtery,  to  falsify  no  word, 
and  betray  no  trust."  A  few  centuries  later,  when  Chris- 
tianity became  dominant  throughout  the  empire,  the  heathen 
temples  were  transformed  into  Christian  chiu'ches,  the  minis- 
ters of  the  word  into  a  priestly  hierarchy,  the  Pontifex 
Maximus  of  the  Roman  state  religion  into  a  Christian  *'  pontiff," 
and  the  simple  rite  of  the  Lord's  Supper  into  the  mystery  of 
the  "Mass."  After  the  crusades  there  arose  all  over  Eiu-ope 
great  cathedrals  suitable  only  for  a  highly  spectacular  worship. 
The  synagogue  idea  was  superseded  by  the  Temple  idea.  The 
Reformation  was  a  reaction  not  only  toward  a  purer  faith  but 
a  more  spiritual  worship.  At  the  present  time  the  church  serv- 
ices in  the  Protestant  denominations  conform  in  the  main 
to  that  of  the  synagogue,  while  those  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church  revert  to  the  Temple  type. 


^'s^'  Public  Worship  5l 

Note  3.    The  Leading  Forms  of  Christian  Worship.    In 

Roman  churches  the  celebration  of  the  Mass  is  the  central 
and  vital  part  of  public  worship,  and  other  forms,  so  far  as 
they  are  used  at  all,  are  grouped  around  it.  The  Mass  is  the 
Lord's  Supper  transformed  into  "  a  sacrifice  which  the  priest 
offers  for  the  living  and  the  dead,  and  in  which  the  atoning 
sacrifice  of  Christ  on  the  cross  is  daily  repeated."  Protestant- 
ism rejects  this  doctrine  and  restores  to  Christian  worship 
the  fundamental  ideas  that  prevailed  in  Apostolic  times.  The 
pastor  of  an  evangelical  church  is  the  director  of  its  pubHc 
worship.  The  strong  reaction  against  prescribed  forms  has 
often  carried  churches  of  this  type  to  the  other  extreme  of 
exalting  the  sermon  into  the  chief  place,  and  of  treating  the 
other  hallowed  parts  of  the  service  as  "  mere  preliminaries  " 
that  ma\^  wilhout  serious  loss  be  banished  altogether.  Under 
such  circumstances  it  is  perfectly  natural  to  speak  of  the  con- 
gregation as  an  "  audience."  It  is  hardly  necessar^^  to  add  that 
one  extreme  is  about  as  bad  as  the  other. 

The  Sunday  worship  as  usually  conducted  in  non-Episcopal 
churches  of  this  country,  and  in  dissenting  churches  of  England, 
consists  of  singing,  prayer,  Scripture  reading,  preaching,  and 
benediction.  The  prayers  are  offered  by  the  minister,  who  also 
preaches  the  sermon  and  pronounces  the  benediction.  Some- 
times the  Lord's  Prayer  and  the  Apostles'  Creed  are  made 
parts  of  the  service  and  repeated  in  unison.  Where  there  are 
two  readings  from  the  Scriptures,  one  is  usually  responsive. 
Aside  from  these  the  ser\dce  of  praise  is  the  only  other  part  of 
the  worship  in  which  the  congregation  takes  an  audible  part. 
The  prayers  are  the  free  utterance  of  the  preacher  who  voices 
in  them  the  adoration,  thanksgiving,  confession,  and  needs  of 
the  people.  The  sermon  may  be  written  or  extempore  as  the 
preacher  chooses.  Either  method  has  its  advantages  as  well  as 
disadvantages. 

Between  these  two  forms  of  worship,  and  partaking  in  some 
respects  of  the  nature  of  both,  are  the  Hturgical  services  of  the 
Episcopal,  Lutheran,  German  and  Dutch  Reformed,  and 
Moravian  churches.  A  liturgy  is  a  prescribed  form  of  worship 
in  which  the  clergyman  is  not  permitted  to  make  any  changes. 
There  is  usually  a  sermon,  but  many  devout  adherents  of  these 
churches  attach  less  importance  to  it  than  to  the  ritual.  If 
forced  to  choose  between  attending  one  or  the  other  they  would 
unhesitatingly  take  the  latter. 


52  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

Note  4.  Comparative  Advantages  of  Liturgical  and  Non- 
liturgical  Worship.  It  is  argued  by  some  that  in  the  Lord's 
Prayer  Jesus  not  only  taught  the  duty  of  social  prayer  but 
inctilcated  the  use  of  fixed  forms.  However  this  may  be,  it 
is  undeniable  that  the  early  church  incorporated  this  prayer 
in  public  as  well  as  private  worship.  It  was  natural  also  that, 
just  as  Jesus  aided  His  disciples  in  their  devotional  utterances 
by  a  prescribed  form,  so  the  gifted  and  inspired  teachers  of 
the  church  should  feel  it  a  duty  to  assist  simple  and  ignorant 
people  by  adding  other  forms  which  by  constant  repetition 
would  become  fixed  in  the  memory.  From  the  increasing 
mass  of  prayers  the  best  were  presently  selected  and  written 
down  for  use  in  the  regular  chruch  services.  To  these  were 
added  brief  creeds,  chants.  Scripture  readings  for  each  Sunday 
in  the  year,  and  other  forms  suitable  to  pubHc  worship,  and 
thus  in  process  of  time  liturgies  grew  up  which  finally  excluded 
free  utterance  except  in  the  sermon.  By  and  by  they  were 
so  extended  and  elaborated  as  to  exclude  the  sermon  also. 
This  concentration  of  worship  upon  ritual  was  not  altogether 
bad  as  long  as  the  language  of  the  ritual  remained  the  language 
of  the  common  people.  The  litiugies  in  their  simplicity, 
beauty,  tenderness  and  reverence  served  a  noble  purpose  not 
only  as  vehicles  of  genuine  religious  feeling,  but  as  embodying 
the  essential  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion.  From  them 
the  larger  portions  of  the  litiu-gies  now  in  use  throughout  the 
Christian  world  have  been  derived. 

In  favor  of  liturgies,  as  now  employed  in  Protestant  churches, 
it  is  urged  that  the  officiating  minister  or  priest  does  not  monopo- 
lize the  service,  but  that  the  people  are  given  a  share;  that 
they  bring  to  the  worshiper  the  choicest  and  sublimest  words 
of  devotion  that  have  come  to  us  from  the  saints  of  past  ages; 
that  they  unite  the  people  of  all  times  in  the  use  of  a  common 
form ;  that  this  form  imparts  dignity  and  propriety  to  worship ; 
that  as  worship  is  an  act  in  which  the  whole  congregation 
participates,  so  the  form  employed  should  be  common  to  all; 
that  there  is  no  better  reason  why  the  prayers  should  be  ex- 
temporaneous than  the  hymns;  that  familiarity  with  prayers, 
as  with  hymns,  enhances  their  spiritual  value;  and  that  con- 
stant repetition  fixes  in  mind  the  fundamental  and  saving 
truths  of  Christianity.  The  objections  usually  lu-ged  against 
liturgies  are  that  they  are  so  inflexible  as  to  shut  off  all  time- 
liness in  prayer ;  that  when  a  sudden  occasion  seems  to  demand 


^'«*«  Public  Worship  53 

special  mention,  the  occasion  will  have  passed  before  an 
authorized  form  can  be  prepared ;  that  the  gift  of  free  utterance 
in  prayer,  springing  warm  and  sympathetic  from  the  minister's 
heart,  is  suppressed  and  eventually  extinguished;  that  a  con- 
stant repetition  of  stereotyped  forms  tends  to  a  merely  mechani- 
cal utterance. 

These  reasons,  together  with  the  feeling  that  every  form  of 
liturgical  worship  savors  of  popery,  led  the  Puritan  churches 
of  England  and  America  into  a  powerful  reaction  against 
prescribed  forms.  In  the  early  New  England  churches  for  a 
long  time  even  a  public  reading  of  Scripture  was  not  tolerated, 
and  was  brought  back  in  the  face  of  much  opposition.  Aside 
from  the  hymns  the  simple  service  was  entirely  extemporaneous, 
except  that  the  sermon  might  be  written.  From  this  barrenness 
the  churches  have  for  some  time  been  recovering  by  the  intro- 
duction of  responsive  Scripture  readings,  imited  repetition  of 
the  Lord's  Prayer  and  some  simple  creed  such  as  the  Apostles', 
and  the  chanting  of  a  Gloria.  All  these  changes  aim  at  giving 
the  congregation  a  larger  part  in  the  service.  The  chief  objec- 
tions to  extempore  public  prayer  have  been  that  the  officiating 
minister  may  have  no  gift  for  it,  and  that  in  some  instances  it 
may  become  not  only  defective  but  undignified  and  extravagant. 

The  ideal  of  public  worship  is  regarded  by  many  thoughtful 
minds  to-day  as  a  judicious  blending  of  fixed  ritual  with  some 
degree  of  spontaneity.  "  A  system  which  should  tmite  the 
propriety  and  dignity  of  venerable  forms  with  the  flexibility 
and  adaptation  to  occasions  of  free  prayer  would  be  superior 
to  any  existing  methods."  Such  a  system  has  not  yet  been 
devised,  but  many  non-Episcopal  churches  are  using  orders  of 
service  which  approach  to  some  extent  the  ideal. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Articles  on  "  Worship,"  in  Schaff-Herzog  Encyclopedia  of  Religious 
Knowledge,  and  in  Hastings'  Dictionary  of  The  Bible,  Vol.  IV,  and  other 
references  under  the  same  word  in  the  smaller  edition.  (2)  Article  on 
"  Liturgy  "  in  Encyclopedia  Britannica.  (3)  For  the  liturgy  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States,  see  The  Book  of  Common 
Prayer.  (4)  On  "  The  Enrichment  of  Worship"  see  Gladden:  The  Christian 
Pastor  and  the  Working  Church,  New  York,  1901,  pp.  150-156. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  place  has  preaching  held  in  the  Christian  church? 

2.  Why  must  the  preacher  adapt  his  message  to  his  time? 


54  The  Modern  Chttrch  ^"^°" 

3.  Why  must  preaching  remain  a  permanent  institution  in  the  Christian 
church? 

4.  How  can  hearers  assist  preachers? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  is  meant  by  pubhc  worship? 


2.  Describe  briefly  the  two  forms  of-  pubhc  worship  in  use  in  Old  Testa- 
ment times. 


3.  How  have  these  forms  been  perpetuated  in  Christian  worship? 


4.  What  is  the  central  idea  in  Roman  Catholic  public  worship? 


5.  In  what  direction  have  many  Protestant  churches  erred  in  their 
religious  services? 


6.   Describe  the  form  of  worship  commonly  employed  in  non-Episcopal 
Protestant  churches  in  this  country. 


7.  What  form  of  worship  is  common  in  churches  of  the  Episcopal  type: 


8.  How  did  liturgical  worship  grow  up  in  the  Christian  church? 


9.  State  some  of  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  liturgical  worship. 


Nine  }{ow  to  Make  public  Worship  Effective  55 

( 

10.  vState  some  of  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  non-liturgical 
worship. 


11,  What  form  would  seem  to  be  better  than  either? 

SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  form  of  public  worship  is  employed  in  your  own  church? 

2.  Describe,  as  far  as  you  can,  the  worship  in  some  church  of  another 
denomination  in  your  neighborhood. 

3.  Describe  the  worship  in  a  Roman  Catholic  church. 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  What  effect  upon  the  people  may  we  reasonably  expect  from  each 
part  of  the  common  worship  as  it  is  practised  in  our  churches? 

2.  How  would  you  regard  a  proposition  to  formulate  a  uniform  ritual 
for  all  the  churches  in  your  denomination? 

3.  How  can  our  Protestant  congregations  be  given  a  larger  active  share 
in  the  public  worship? 


Lesson  9.    HOW  TO  MAKE  PUBLIC  WORSHIP 
EFFECTIVE. 

Scripture  Reading:  Worshiping  in  Spirit  and  Truth.     Jo.  4  :  1-26. 

Note  1.  Jesus'  Definition  of  True  Worship.  The  woman 
of  Samaria  with  whom  Jesus  entered  into  conversation  at 
Jacob's  well  is  commonly  supposed  to  have  brought  up  the 
standing  debate  between  Samaritans  and  Jews  as  to  the  legiti- 
mate place  of  worship  in  order  to  evade  an  unpleasant  probing 
into  her  own  life  by  this  unknown  Master  of  the  human  heart. 
May  it  not  have  been  that  the  woman  was  really  dissatisfied 
with  her  past  Hfe,  and  that  she  secretly  longed  for  deliverance 
from  it  ?  She  may  have  found  no  help  in  the  worship  on  Mount 
Gerizim,  "  this  mountain,"  and  may  have  wondered  if,  after 
all,  the  true  and  really  helpful  worship  was  not  at  the  temple 
in  Jerusalem.  In  Jesus  she  perhaps  saw  a  prophet  who  might 
aid  her  in  discovering  the  place  of  acceptable  worship.  In 
reply,  then,  to  an  apparently  sincere  inquiry  Jesus  told  her 
that  true  worship  is  confined  to  no  fixed  form  or  place,  but 
that  in  its  essential  nature  it  is  spiritual,   since  "  God  is  a 


56  ■  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

Spirit:  and  they  that  worship  him  must  worship  in  spirit  and 
truth."  Neither  Jews  nor  Samaritans  had  a  monopoly  of 
sacred  places  or  ritualistic  symbols.  On  the  contrary,  wherever 
sincere  worshipers  seek  communion  with  God,  He  is  found, 
and  such  places  are  holy  ground.  Since  true  fellowship  between 
the  htmian  spirit  and  the  divine  is  direct  and  immediate, 
outward  forms  are  not  necessary  in  private  worship,  though 
even  here  they  may  be  helpful.  In  public  worship,  on  the 
contrary,  it  is  clearly  expedient  that  some  forms  should  be 
observed. 

Note  2.  Various  Forms  of  Public  Worship.     If  the  aim  of 

public  worship  is  to  stimulate  our  realization  of  fellowship 
with  the  Father  and  to  obtain  inspiration  to  know  and  to  do 
His  will  (Note  1,  Lesson  8),  it  should  be  the  duty  of  churches 
to  discover  and  cultivate  those  forms  which  are  most  perfectly 
suited  to  realize  this  ideal. 

The  many  forms  of  Christian  worship  may  be  divided  into 
two  great  classes,  liturgical  and  non-liturgical.  To  the  former 
class  belong  the  Greek  and  Roman  Catholic  churches,  and  the 
Episcopal,  Lutheran  and  Moravian  Protestant  churches. 
To  the  latter  class  belong  those  Protestant  bodies  which  do 
not  make  use  of  established  formulas  for  prayer  and  devotion. 
A  service  which  includes  only  such  set  forms  as  a  doxology  or 
the  Lord's  Prayer  cannot  in  any  strict  sense  of  the  word  be 
called  liturgical.  Nor  can  the  term  be  applied  to  a  ser\dce 
merely  because  its  different  parts  follow  one  another  in  some 
customary  order.  A  non-liturgical  worship  is  one  that  does 
not  employ  a  liturgy  in  the  well-known  and  established  sense 
of  that  term.  Such  worship  is  that  in  common  use  among  the 
Baptists,  Congregationalists,  Disciples,  Methodists,  Presby- 
terians, and  numerous  other  smaller  denominations. 

A  third  form,  radically  different  from  any  of  those  just 
mentioned,  is  that  in  vogue  among  the  Friends  or  Quakers. 
Their  belief  in  the  direct  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  has  led 
them  to  abandon  all  forms  or  orders  of  service.  In  their  public 
worship  no  one  speaks,  or  prays,  or  sings  until  conscious  of  an 
inward  prompting  from  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  happens  sometimes 
that  the  entire  service  passes  in  complete  silence.  It  must 
not  be  supposed,  however,  that  during  this  silence  the  minds 
of  the  worshipers  are  idle  or  wandering.  On  the  contrary  the 
hour  is  filled  with  communion  with  God,  prayer,  meditation 


^^■««  How  to  Make  Public  Worship  Effective  57 

on  some  Scripture  text,  or  close  examination  of  one's  own  life 
and  conduct  with  confession  of  sin,  and  prayer  for  pardon. 
The  whole  service  thus  realizes  a  very  high  ideal  of  purely 
spiritual  worship. 

Among  liturgical  forms  of  worship  in  this  country  the  most 
dramatic  and  spectacular  is  that  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 
The  sacrificial  ritual  of  the  Mass  is  the  heart  and  center  of 
every  service.  It  is  conducted  in  Latin  by  priests  attired  in 
robes  sometimes  gorgeous.  It  is  made  impressive  by  solemn 
processions,  sweet  incense,  intoned  services,  chants,  and 
artistic  music.  Everything  is  designed  to  appeal  primarily 
to  the  senses,  and  through  them  to  the  religious  feelings. 
Doubtless  there  are  many  who  truly  worship  God  through 
their  attendance  at  the  Mass.  That  such  forms  of  worship, 
moreover,  have  extraordinary  power  to  attract  the  masses  is 
shown  by  the  successive  congregations  that  crowd  the  churches 
from  early  Sunday  morning  until  noon.  But  their  weakness 
lies  in  their  emphasis  on  external  forms  rather  than  on  the 
inward  spiritual  life.  The  mere  symbol  soon  tends  to  hide 
the  thing  symbolized.  It  is  so  much  easier  to  sum  up  religion 
in  the  doing  of  certain  religious  acts  rather  than  in  being 
religious  in  life  and  character,  that  the  former  never  fails  to 
win  a  ready  popular  response. 

That  set  forms  of  worship  when  associated  with  purer  types 
of  Christian  doctrine  are  not  incompatible  with  the  attainment 
and  cultivation  of  a  high  degree  of  spiritual  life  is  seen  in  the 
character  and  work  of  Protestant  liturgical  churches.  No 
higher  Christian  scholarship,  no  higher  ideals  of  personal  and 
church  life,  no  more  consistent  enthusiasm  are  found  anywhere 
than  among  the  Episcopalians.  A  form  of  worship  that  has 
satisfied  the  spiritual  aspirations  and  stimulated  the  Christian 
activities  of  men  like  Frederick  Denison  Maurice,  Frederick 
W.  Robertson,  Samuel  Wilberforce,  Canon  Liddon,  Phillips 
Brooks,  and  a  host  of  others,  less  conspicuous  but  not  less 
devoted  than  they,  should  be  accounted  a  priceless  heritage 
from  the  past.  No  body  of  Christians  has  been  more  conse- 
crated to  the  work  of  missions  than  the  Moravians,  whose 
forms  of  worship  are  largely  liturgical. 

There  are  multitudes,  however,  who  chafe  under  the  restraint 
of  fixed  forms.  They  love  freedom  and  spontaneity  in  public 
worship.  They  feel  that  in  fellowship  between  the  heavenly 
Father  and  His  children  there  should  be  the  largest  room  for 


-)( 


58  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

expression  of  personal  feelings,  joys,  sorrows,  hopes,  and  needs. 
They  admit  that  while  such  extempore  utterances  fall  far  short 
of  the  beautiful  and  stately  periods  that  have  been  hallowed 
by  long  use  in  the  world's  great  liturgies,  nevertheless  their 
very  freshness  and  individuality  give  them  an  acceptance  like 
that  which  an  earthly  father  would  accord  to  his  child's  un- 
studied petitions  rather  than  to  the  most  polished  requests 
read  from  a  book.  For  this  reason  they  seek  forms  of  worship 
that  will  give,  what  seems  to  them,  a  more  direct  approach  to 
the  heavenly  Father  than  can  be  realized  through  stereotyped 
forms.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  under  this  free  worship  there 
have  been  examples  of  genuine  spiritual  power  as  great  as 
have  been  witnessed  an3rwhere  in  the  Christian  church.  Such 
were  John  Knox,  John  Wesley,  George  Whitefield,  Jonathan 
Edwards,  Charles  Haddon  Spurgeon,  Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
D wight  L.  Moody — to  mention  only  a  few  out  of  a  multitude. 
We  see,  therefore,  that  the  effectiveness  of  public  worship 
in  the  promotion  of  a  genuine  spiritual  life  does  not  wholly 
depend  on  the  form  employed.  True  worship  can  be  realized 
under  any  form.  Nevertheless,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the 
history  of  the  church,  alike  in  Old  Testament  and  in  Christian 
times,  has  shown  that  an  excessive  emphasis  on  outward 
ceremonies  is  not  favorable  to  the  cultivation  of  a  spiritual 
worship.  The  unsparing  denunciations  of  the  Hebrew  prophets 
and  of  Jesus  Himself  showed  how  the  most  assiduous  attention 
to  ritual  could  coexist  with  an  entire  absence  of  spiritual  life. 
The  same  has  been  witnessed  repeatedly  since  then  in  the 
great  churches  of  Christendom.  On  the  other  hand,  such 
modem  religious  movements  as  the  Wesleyan  revival  and  the 
great  evangelistic  campaigns  conducted  by  Moody  have  shown 
conclusively  that  no  form  of  public  worship  is  so  effective  in 
stirring  the  masses  of  the  people  as  one  untrammeled  by  fixed 
formulas.  There  can  be  no  question  that  free  worship  has 
largely  contributed  to  the  growth  and  strength  of  the  great 
Protestant  denominations  that  have  welcomed  it. 

*  Note  3.  How  to  Benefit  by  Public  Worship.  Let  us  under- 
stand, first  of  all,  that  the  aim  of  public  worship  is  to  minister 
to  religious  needs  and  not  to  furnish  entertainment.  Those 
who  go  chiefly  to  admire  the  artistic  performance  of  the  choir 
or  a  literary  essay  from  the  pulpit  usually  miss  the  essential 
things  for  which  the  service  stands. 


Nine 


How  to  Make  Public  Worship  Elective  59 


To  benefit  by  public  worship  we  should  feel  our  need  of  that 
instruction,  inspiration,  comfort,  or  strength  which  the  service 
is  designed  to  supply.  If  there  is  no  conscious  need  there 
must  be  at  least  a  willingness  to  receive  benefits.  The  worshiper 
must  be  in  a  receptive  attitude  of  mind  and  heart.  Children 
and  youth  need  especially  the  guidance  that  comes  through  a 
larger  knowledge  of  rcHgious  truth  and  of  moral  obligations. 
As  we  grow  older  the  burdens  of  life  become  heavier,  its  prob- 
lems more  perplexing,  sometimes  its  temptations  grow  stronger, 
its  doubts  more  insistent.  Sorrows  and  misfortunes  may 
darken  our  way.  In  all  such  experiences  we  need  the  uplifting 
and  encouraging  assurance  that  we  are  not  fighting  the  battle 
alone,  that  God  is  with  us,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble.  If 
prosperity  and  happiness  brighten  our  days  we  need  to  be 
reminded  of  the  divine  source  from  which  they  come  and  the 
unselfish  purposes  for  which  they  are  to  be  used.  Just  to  the 
extent  to  which  we  become  conscious  of  these  needs,  we  shall 
be  prepared  to  benefit  by  the  services  of  the  church. 

In  preparing  for  this  service  we  lay  aside  our  everyday 
garments  and  put  on  our  Sunday  suit  which  is  usually  the  best 
we  have.  This  should  not  be  an  expression  of  personal  pride 
or  vanity,  but  of  sincere  reverence  for  the  occasion  and  the 
place.  But  if  it  is  worth  while  making  this  special  preparation 
in  respect  to  one's  outward  appearance,  is  it  not  much  more 
befitting  to  make  adequate  inward  preparation  also.  A  little 
devotional  reading,  a  little  serious  meditation,  or  a  careful 
study  of  the  Sunday  school  lesson  will  surely  give  one  a  keener 
appreciation  of  the  value  of  the  service  than  an  hour  spent 
over  the  Sunday  newspaper  or  in  idle  gossip. 

A  reverent  bowing  of  the  head  and  a  silent  prayer  after  one 
has  taken  one's  seat  in  the  Lord's  house  always  tends  to  bring 
one  into  sympathy  with  the  rest  of  the  service  and  to  awaken 
interest. 

We  are  to  remember  that  all  the  exercises,  even  those  in 
which  the  worshiper  takes  no  audible  part,  are  designed  to 
quicken  religious  feeHngs  and  to  deepen  impressions.  There- 
fore we  should  not  only  join  in  the  responsive  readings  and 
congregational  h^nnns,  but  also  give  close  attention  to  every- 
thing that  is  said  and  done.  We  should  not  only  listen  to  the 
minister's  prayer,  but  also  enter  into  the  spirit  of  his  petitions 
so  as  to  pray  with  him.  The  anthem  should  not  be  regarded 
9^  a  mere  display  of  vocal  talent  but  as  a  call  to  join  the  choir 


60  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

in  praising  God.  Even  the  inarticulate  music  of  the  organ 
may  become  a  quieting  and  restful  or  rousing  and  stimulating 
aid  to  devotion.  To  follow  the  minister's  Scripture  reading 
with  a  Bible  in  hand  is  helpful  in  fixing  attention  to  it.  The 
sermon,  of  course,  will  be  heard  not  in  a  critical  spirit,  but 
with  a  settled  desire  to  receive  from  it  all  the  instruction  and 
inspiration  to  higher  living  that  it  can  give. 

One  who  comes  to  the  church  service  with  a  sense  of  spiritual 
need  and  with  due  inward  preparation,  and  who  participates 
in  the  exercises  in  the  manner  here  indicated  cannot  fail  to 
make  any  form  of  worship  effective  in  uplifting  and  strengthen- 
ing his  religious  life,  and  to  derive  some  help  from  any  pulpit 
message  however  limited  the  power  of  the  messenger. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Gladden:  The  Christian  Pastor  and  the  Working  Church,  pp.  134-156. 
(2)  Abbott:  The  Christian  Ministry,  Boston  and  New  York,  1905,  pp. 
176-197. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  Hebrew  forms  of  worship  are  perpetuated  in  Christian  worship? 

2.  What  are  the  three  leading  forms  of  Christian  worship? 

3.  State  some  of  the  advantages  of  a  liturgy. 

4.  What  advantages  accompany  free  forms  of  worship? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  How  did  Jesus  define  true  worship? 


2.  What  churches  employ  liturgical  worship? 


3.  What  denominations  prefer  a  free  worship? 


4.  Describe  the  form  of  worship  used  in  a  Friends*  meeting. 


6.  How  is  the  worship  in  a  Roman  Catholic  church  conducted? 


Nine 


How  to  Make  Public  Worship  Elective  61 


6.  Under  what  conditions  may  a  liturgical  form  of  worship  become 
effective  in  promoting  a  truly  spiritual  life? 


7.  State  a  few  of  the  reasons  why  some  churches  prefer  a  non-liturgical 
service. 


8.  In  general,  what  peril  has  attended  the  use  of  rituals? 


9.  What  forms  of  worship  are  most  effective  in  evangelistic  work? 


10.  What  personal  preparation  is  needed  in  order  to  benefit  by  any 
form  of  worship? 


11.  To  receive  the  greatest  benefit  from  public  worship  how  should  we 
participate  in  it? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  is  the  service  of  song  in  your  church  conducted? 

2.  Can  you  suggest  some  ways  in  which  the  worship  in  your  church  can 
be  made  more  effective? 

3.  Can  you  suggest  some  ways  by  which  the  worshipers  may  make  it 
more  effective  to  themselves? 

4.  Mention  some  of  the  hymns  in  your  church  hymn  book  which  you 
consider  most  helpful;  also  Psalms;  also  printed  prayers. 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  How  can  the  musical  part  of  public  worship  be  brought  to  its  highest 
efficacy? 

2.  Can  the  ordinary  man  learn  to  enjoy  common  worship? 

3.  How  can  we  prevent  habit  from  taking  off  the  edge  of  devotional 
feeling? 


62  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^°« 

Lesson  10.    THE  PRAYER  OR  CONFERENCE  MEETING. 

Scripture  Reading:  Jesus'  Presence  Promised  and  Realized. 
Mt.  18: 19,  20;  Acts  1 : 1—2:4. 

Note  1.  Why  a  Prayer  Meeting  at  All?  The  Christian 
church  began  in  a  prayer  and  conference  meeting.  After 
Jesus'  ascension  His  followers  met  daily  in  an  "  upper  cham- 
ber," and  **  with  one  accord  continued  steadfastly  in  prayer, 
with  the  women."  In  answer  to  their  prayers  came  the  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  marked  the  birth  of  the 
Christian  church.  This  was  the  church's  first  distinct  con- 
sciousness of  the  thenceforth  uninterrupted  spiritual  presence 
of  the  risen  Christ,  which  was  summed  up  in  the  w^ords,  *'  Lo, 
I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  The 
thousands  converted  in  connection  with  this  epoch-making 
event  were  forerunners  of  the  spiritual  harvests  that  have  been 
gathered  since  then  in  every  age  and  every  place  where  Christ's 
followers  have  assembled  for  united  and  steadfast  prayer  in 
His  name.  Revivals,  as  a  rule,  are  bom  in  prayer  meetings. 
That  Jesus  expected  His  followers  to  pray  not  only  in  secret 
(Mt.  6:6)  but  socially  is  clearly  implied  in  the  Lord's  Prayer 
which  is  addressed  to  "  Our  Father,"  and  in  which  every  per- 
sonal petition  expresses  a  collective  need — "  give  W5,"  "  forgive 
W5,"  "  bring  us  not."  It  is  the  consciousness  of  common  needs 
that  leads  to  prayer  in  common;  and  the  consciousness  of 
unity  creates  a  sense  of  increased  power.  A  stick  of  wood 
bums  better  in  a  bundle  than  alone. 

Obviously  the  prayer  meeting  is  primarily  for  prayer,  praise, 
and  consecration.  As  such  it  is  attractive  chiefly  to  those 
who  know  the  value  and  feel  the  need  of  prayer.  The  prayer 
meeting  is  the  place  where  the  life  of  the  church  should  freely 
express  itself.  When  this  is  vigorous,  the  prayer  meetings 
are  well  attended,  and  there  is  a  consciousness  of  power.  When 
the  spiritual  life  of  the  church  lags,  the  prayer  meeting  is 
usually  the  first  to  show  it. 

Note    2.    Different    Types  of    Devotional    Meetings.     In 

churches  that  maintain  devotional  meetings  at  all,  there 
are  usually  two  every  week — the  church  meeting  and  the 
young  people's  meeting.  The  aims  and  methods  are  in  both 
cases  essentially  the  same,  and  in  both  cases  the  meetings 
assume  one  or  another  of  the  following  types  or  a  blending  of 
them: 


Ten 


The  Prayer  or  Conference  Meeting  63 


{1)  The  Prayer  Meeting  Properly  so  Called.  In  the  early- 
New  England  churches  this  was  the  only  form  of  devotional 
service  known.  The  minister  read  and  expounded  at  some 
length  a  passage  of  Scripttire,  one  or  more  h>TQns  were  simg, 
and  two  or  three  prayers  were  offered  usually  by  persons  called 
on  by  the  leader.  Meetings  of  this  kind  are  still  in  vogue  in 
some  churches.  That  they  have  frequently  been  of  real  spirit- 
ual help  cannot  be  doubted.  But  as  a  rule  they  have  tended 
to  become  formal  and  monotonous.  A  great  improvement  on 
them,  and  realizing  more  fully  the  idea  of  a  meeting  for  prayer, 
are  those  devotional  services  where  the  prayers  are  the  free 
utterances  of  conscious  need  and  where  a  considerable  ntmiber 
take  a  part.  Such  seasons  of  luiited  prayer  are  more  frequently 
witnessed  in  "  neighborhood,"  or  "  cottage  meetings  "  than 
in  the  church  service.  When  pervaded  by  a  sense  of  real 
communion  with  God  they  are  unquestionably  helpful  in 
maintaining  the  life  of  the  church  at  a  high  level. 

(2)  The  Conference  Meeting.  The  real  prayer  meeting, 
as  just  described,  has  been  supplanted  in  many  American 
churches  by  one  in  which  prayer  is  not  so  prominent.  It  is 
still  called  the  prayer  meeting  or,  in  recognition  of  the  change 
which  has  come  over  it,  the  prayer  and  conference  meeting. 
The  gathering  in  the  upper  chamber  in  Jerusalem  became  a 
true  conference  as  well  as  a  prayer  meeting  where  Peter  pro- 
posed that  another  Apostle  should  be  elected  in  place  of  Judas. 
That  was  a  matter  of  vital  moment  to  all  who  were  present  and 
that  needed  prayer  for  divine  guidance.  Unquestionably  there 
are  many  things  relating  to  plans,  methods,  and  problems  of 
church  work  and  life  that  are  themselves  matters  of  spiritual 
life  and  therefore  worthy  of  attention  in  a  church  meeting. 
A  discussion  of  such  matters  after  they  have  been  considered  by 
a  competent  committee  will  help  to  create  an  intelligent  interest 
in  them  and  facilitate  their  being  put  into  operation.  Further- 
more, the  spiritual  life  itself  needs  to  be  studied  and  not 
merely  exercised  on  the  same  level  week  after  week.  Discus- 
sion of  this  kind,  instead  of  the  aimless  talk  that  too  often 
wastes  time,  is  an  indication  of  a  healthy  spiritual  life. 

(3)  The  Experience  Meeting.  The  following  description 
of  an  excellent  meeting  of  this  kind  appeared  some  years  ago 
in  The  Independent.  "  The  writer  was  present  this  week  at 
a  prayer  meeting  in  a  country  church,  and  the  pastor  announced 
that  the  meeting  would  be  '  an  experience  meeting,'  and  a 


64  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°« 

number  of  persons  *  related  their  experiences.'  Some  told  how 
they  were  awakened  and  brought  to  know  and  accept  Christ, 
while  others  told  of  remarkable  epochs  in  their  Christian  lives. 
Some  told  of  backsliding  and  being  restored;  and  others  again 
of  how  they  were  led  up  into  highe  ^places  ^and  closer  walk 
with  God ;  and  some  of  how  they  were  brought  into  consecration, 
and  so  forth.  The  meeting  was  interesting  and  suggestive. 
We  thought  that  such  meetings  might  be  profitable  if  oftener 
held.  Our  fathers  used  to  dwell  too  much  on  their  *  frames  and 
feelings.'  We  think  the  tendency  to-day  is  too  much  away 
from  the  culture  of  the  inner  life;  that  there  is  not  enough  per- 
sonal and  direct  dealing  with  the  Holy  Ghost." 

Experience  meetings  are  still  regularly  held  in  some  churches. 
Among  Baptists  it  is  known  as  the  '*  covenant  meeting." 
It  usually  takes  the  place  of  the  prayer  meeting  which  im- 
mediately precedes  the  observance  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
Those  present,  sometimes  called  upon  in  order,  tell  of  their 
experiences  and  progress  in  the  Christian  life,  their  trials  and 
temptations,  defeats  and  victories,  and  express  a  desire  **  to 
renew  their  covenant  with  God  and  the  church."  Among  the 
Methodists  the  class  meeting  originally  served  much  the  same 
end,  but  its  function  has  been  largely  transferred  to  the  prayer 
meeting.  There  are  reasons,  however,  why  experience  meetings 
have  fallen  into  disuse,  and  why  there  is  a  tendency  to  dispense 
with  them  even  where  they  have  long  been  a  part  of  the  estab- 
lished order.  It  is  so  much  easier  to  speak  of  religious  matters 
in  general  than  to  give  a  truthful  account  of  one's  own  inward 
condition;  the  most  sacred  experiences  are  precisely  those 
which  the  most  devout  are  least  inclined  to  relate,  even  if 
they  were  able  to  put  them  into  suitable  words.  There  is  a 
feeling  that  introspection  tends  to  develop  unhealthy  frames 
of  mind.  Persons  without  any  deep  rehgious  life,  who  are 
immersed  in  business  or  domestic  cares,  or  in  pleasure,  are 
strongly  tempted  to  make  claims  that  to  those  that  know 
them  best  seem  inconsistent  with  their  daily  hves.  They  are 
not  intentionally  insincere.  They  merely  repeat  well-worn 
phrases  that  seem  to  be  expected,  and  they  shrink  from  throwing 
a  coolness  over  the  meeting  by  a  truthful  story  of  backslidings. 
While  the  experience  meeting,  therefore,  may  be  made  very 
helpful  in  the  nurture  of  the  inner  life,  it  is  manifestly  beset 
by  perils  that  can  be  avoided  only  by  the  utmost  care  and 
watchfulness. 


^^  The  Prayer  or  Conference  Meeting  65 

Note   3.    How   to   Have   a   Good   Prayer   Meeting.     The 

difficulty  of  keeping  the  prayer  meeting  from  degenerating 
into  a  perfunctory  monotony  has  occasioned  more  anxiety  to 
earnest  pastors  than  the  Sunday  service  which  is  practically 
in  their  own  hands.  In  despair  of  realizing  satisfactory  results 
from  the  prayer  meeting  some  have  abandoned  it  in  favor  of 
a  weekly  lecture.  But  no  lectures  can  in  the  long  run  supply 
the  spiritual  needs  of  the  church  as  does  the  prayer  and  con- 
ference meeting.  The  thing  needed  by  a  dead  prayer  meeting 
is  not  a  fimeral,  but  a  resurrection.  In  it,  even  though  imse^i 
and  unfelt,  stands  the  ever-living  and  omnipotent  Christ 
with  the  pledge,  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together 
in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  The  quickening 
power  comes  not  from  more  talk  one  to  another,  but  from 
more  heart-to-heart  talk  with  Him.  The  readiness  of  many 
chtirches  to  fall  into  a  pleasant  interchange  of  religious  talk 
instead  of  aspiring  to  a  real  commiunion  with  Christ  is  a  sign 
of  spiritual  decadence.  A  good  prayer  meeting,  accordingly, 
will  not  suppress  free  conferences,  or  discourage  modest  and 
sincere  testimonies,  but  it  will  subordinate  these  to  the  supreme 
purpose  of  the  meeting — the  cultivation  through  prayer  of  a 
sense  of  personal  nearness  to  God  and  of  dependence  on  Him. 
Prayer,  however,  can  express  itself  in  various  ways.  Most 
hymnals  contain  a  fairly  large  collection  of  songs  that  carry 
on  the  spirit  of  adoration,  thanksgiving,  and  supplication  as 
truly  as  direct  prayer.  No  book  in  the  world  is  so  rich  in 
devotional  material  as  the  Bible.  A  few  verses  read  by  the 
leader,  or  in  unison,  not  only  add  variety,  but  bring  into  the 
meeting  oftentimes  a  real  sense  of  the  divine  presence. 

The  quality  of  a  prayer  meeting  depends  largely  on  the  skill 
and  tact  of  the  leader.  It  needs  as  much  careful  preparation 
as  the  Sunday  service.  What  can  be  expected  when  the  leader 
comes  with  scanty  preparation  and  the  people  with  none  at 
aU?  When  no  subject  has  been  announced,  no  Scripture  lesson 
carefully  studied,  no  prayers  premeditated,  no  hymns  selected, 
no  serious  thought  given  to  anything  by  anybody,  no  one  has 
a  right  to  look  for  a  good  meeting.  It  is  sheer  folly  to  expect 
something  out  of  nothing.  As  there  are  exceptions  to  all  rules, 
so  in  an  unpremeditated  meeting  there  may  be  enough  thought- 
ful people  to  save  it  from  utter  waste,  but  that  is  not  to  be 
relied  on.  The  leader,  whether  he  is  the  pastor  or  a  layman 
(and  a  layman  now  and  then  makes  a  happy  change),  will 


66  The  Modern  Church  ^"^«» 

outline  very  briefly  a  subject  that  has  been  announced  long 
enough  beforehand  so  that  every  one  will  have  had  time  to 
think  of  something  to  pray  for  or  to  speak  of  in  unison  with 
the  subject.  This  outline  will  often  be  quite  helpful  if  presented 
in  the  form  of  questions  that  suggest  thought.  Whatever  the 
theme,  the  leader  will  try  to  bring  it  into  close  and  sym- 
pathetic touch  with  the  daily  lives  of  the  people.  A  good 
prayer  meeting  will  carry  their  weaknesses,  perplexities,  trials, 
sorrows,  and  joys  into  a  divine  atmosphere  of  hope  and 
trust.  It  will  train  those  who  have  "  a  gift  for  continuance  " 
to  be  brief  and  concise;  it  will  open  the  mouths  of  the  dumb; 
it  will  cultivate  a  spirit  of  true  Christian  humihty,  and  suppress 
any  tendencies  toward  ostentatious  display;  it  will  stimulate 
specific  prayer  for  an  undevout  husband,  wife,  or  neighbor, 
for  an  unconverted  member  of  a  Sunday  school  class,  a  sick 
friend,  or  a  family  in  distress,  and  it  will  weed  out  the  vague, 
indefinite  prayers  that  sound  well,  but  accompHsh  nothing, 
since  they  aim  at  nothing  in  particular;  and,  finally,  it  will 
create  not  only  a  sense  of  closeness  to  God,  but  a  feeling  of 
real  Christian  brotherhood.  Its  influence  reaches  out  into  aU 
the  activities  of  the  church,  its  quickening  power  touches  the 
entire  membership  and  its  Hght  goes  out  into  all  the  surround- 
ing community.  It  helps  to  lift,  strengthen,  encourage,  and 
consecrate  every  life  that  comes  imder  its  magic  spell. 


ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Cowan:  New  Life  in  the  Old  Prayer  Meeting,  New  York  and  Chicago, 
1906.     0^)  Haller:  The  Redemption  of  the  Prayer  Meeting,  Cincinnati,  1911. 


REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  kind  of  worship  did  Jesus  approve? 

2.  What  form  of  pubhc  worship  seems  to  realize  most  perfectly  Jesus' 
idea  of  true  worship? 

3.  Mention  some  characteristics  of  effective  pubhc  worship. 

4.  How  can  the  service  of  song  be  saved  from  becoming  a  mere  musical 
performance  and  be  made  a  help  to  worship? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  State  some  reasons  why  the  prayer  meeting  should  be  regarded  as 
necessary  to  the  hfe  of  the  church. 


Ten 


The  Prayer  or  Conference  Meeting  67 


2.  How  does  the  prayer  meeting  differ  from  the  Sunday  school  and  the 
preaching  service? 


3.  How  is  a  real  prayer  meeting  ordinarily  conducted! 


4.  How  does  a  conference  meeting  as  a  rule  compare  in  spiritual  value 
with  a  meeting  for  prayer? 


5.  Mention  some  good  features  of  a  genuine  experience  meeting. 


6.  What  are  some  perils  to  which'  experience  nieetings  are  exposed? 


7.  Why  is  a  weekly  lecture  not  a  satisfactory  substitute  for  a  prayer 
meeting? 


8.  Describe  some  features  of  a  good  prayer  meeting. 


9.  In  what  respects  does  the  loading  of  a  prayer  meeting  demand  careful 
preparation? 


10.  What  will  a  good  prayer  meeting  do  for  the  people? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  many  prayer  meetings  are  held  weekly  in  your  church? 

2.  What  proportion  of  those  who  attend  the  young  people's  meeting 
attend  also  the  church  meeting? 


68  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

3.  To  which  of  the  three  types  mentioned  in  Note  2  do  the  meetings  in 
your  church  chiefly  inchne? 

4.  What  quaHfications  should  a  good  leader  of  prayer  meetings  possess? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  If  the  prayer  meetings  in  your  church  are  not  entirely  satisfactory, 
what  means  would  you  suggest  for  their  permanent  improvement? 

2.  What  benefits  do  you  know  to  have  come  from  the  prayer  meetings 
of  your  church? 


Lqsson  11.     GETTING  PEOPLE  TO  CHURCH:    A  Survey 
of    General  Conditions  and  Problems. 

Scripture  Reading:  Longing  for  the  Temple  Worship.     Ps.  87. 

Note  1.  The  Drift  from  the  Church.  The  Pilgrims  and 
Puritans  who  founded  the  New  England  colonies  were  influenced 
by  religious  motives.  Naturally  the  ministers,  who  were  the 
interpreters  of  God's  word  and  will,  were  the  most  influential 
men  in  the  community.  Even  after  the  original  close  alliance 
between  church  and  state  had  broken  dov,n,  religion  continued 
to  dominate  intellectual  interests  and  social  customs.  The 
young  people  grew  up  in  stem  moral  surroundings.  Every- 
body went  to  church  on  Sunday,  partly  because  they  had  been 
trained  to  do  so,  partly  becatise  it  v.  as  the  center  of  the  social 
life  in  the  parish  which  was- identical  \^ith  the  town,  and  partly 
because  there  was  no  other  place  to  \^hich  the  people  could  go. 
We  must  recognize  the  fact,  however,  that  such  a  church-going 
type  of  community  was  exceptional  even  under  the  simple 
community  conditions  that  had  prevailed  in  Christendom  up 
to  that  time.  -  We  must  also  recognize  the  fact  that  the  revolu- 
tionary changes  that  have  taken  place  in  social  conditions 
since  then  (see  Lesson  7,  Note  2)  have  shifted  many  functions 
from  the  church  to  other  agencies,  and  have  produced  indif- 
ference in  large  sections  of  the  population  and  real  hatred 
in  others.  This  does  not  mean  that  the  people  in  general 
have  become  irreligious.  Thousands  of  men  who  never  go 
inside  the  churches  belong  to  fraternal  organizations  that 
incorporate  fundamental  Christian  ideas.  It  means  that 
religion  no  longer  manifests  itself  wholly  through  organized 
Christianity.  The  result  is  that  the  churches  have  not  the 
congregations  or  the  influence  to  which  their  message  entitles 


^""''^  Getting  People  to  Church  69 

them.  With  a  considerable  portion  of  the  middle  class  non- 
churchgoing  has  become  an  established  habit.  Those  of  the 
rich  or  professional  classes  who  attend  worship  are  mostly 
elderly  persons  trained  in  a  former  generation.  Among  laborers 
and  the  poor  the  number  of  churchgoers,  especially  in  the 
great  industrial  centers,  is  alarmingly  small.  The  great  majority 
of  them  pass  by  the  open  church  door  with  no  more  thought 
of  entering  than  of  breaking  into  a  private  house.  That  they 
are  as  responsive  to  moral  and  religious  appeals  as  any  class 
is  seen  in  the  fact  that  in  other  places  many  of  the  wage-earners 
attend  the  Protestant  churches.  The  Catholic  chiu-ch  in  this 
coimtry  is  commonly  credited  with  having  a  tenacious  hold 
on  its  congregations,  but  the  fact  cannot  be  disguised  that  it 
is  losing  men  in  portentous  nimibers.  Before  we  can  begin 
getting  the  people  back  into  the  churches,  we  must  know  what 
has  taken  them  away.  The  reasons  assigned  are  at  first  sight 
bewildering  in  number  and  variety.  But  dismissing  those 
which  are  obviously  flippant  and  insincere,  we  can  divide  the 
remainder  into  two  classes,  those  due  to  conditions,  real  or 
imaginary,  within  the  church,  and  those  due  to  causes  outside. 

Note  2.  Causes  within  the  Church.  The  most  frequently 
urged  are  the  following: 

(j?)  Attachment  to  worn-out  methods  that,  because  they 
were  good  for  our  grandfathers,  are  supposed  to  be  good  enough 
for  us,  even  though  they  are  proving  themselves  to  be  com- 
parative failures.  Here  and  there  a  church  tries  to  seek  out 
methods  adapted  to  the  changing  social  order,  but  too  many 
churches  cling  to  antiquated  ways. 

{2)  A  distrust  of  new  interpretations  and  larger  truths. 
Multitudes  of  church  people  still  insist  on  taking  the  early 
narratives  in  Genesis  as  Hteral  history  and  claiming  that 
Christianity  stands  or  falls  with  the  story  of  Jonah  and  the 
fish. 

(3)  An  assumption  that  Christian  doctrines  are  infallible, 
and  that  modem  objections  to  them  must  never  be  considered 
in  the  pulpit,  as  it  would  tend  to  weaken  faith  in  the  doctrines 
themselves. 

(4)  An  excessive  emphasis  on  insuring  felicity  in  the  next 
world  rather  than  right  living  in  this  world. 

(5)  Lack  of  strong  convictions  among  professed  Christians. 
The  average  church  member  it  is  said  has  just  enough  faith 


70  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°« 

to  keep  him  from  complete  doubt,  but  not  enough  to  inspire 
resolute  Christian  service. 

{6)  Hence  a  general  feeling  that  the  average  church  member 
is  no  better  than  the  average  respectable  member  of  society 
outside  of  the  church. 

(7)  Rented  pews,  claimed  even  by  many  church  people  to 
be  "  one  of  the  best  means  ever  discovered  of  keeping  the 
outcast  and  outsider  away  from  the  church."  The  most 
desirable  attendants  have  too  often  .been  those  who  could  pay 
for  the  highest  priced  pews. 

(8)  A  misunderstanding  on  the  part  of  the  church  of  the 
great  social  movements  of  our  time.  This  is  attributed  to 
the  fact  that  the  church  has  almost  always  ranged  itself  along- 
side of  those  whose  interests  have  demanded  that  things  shall 
remain  as  they  are,  rather  than  by  the  side  of  those  who  have 
demanded  the  righting  of  social  wrongs.  Naturally  the  church 
has  lost  its  hold  on  those  who  are  doing  the  world's  hardest 
work,  bearing  its  heaviest  burdens,  and  getting  the  smallest 
reward  for  their  toil.  The  church's  lack  of  interest  in  the 
passionate  efforts  of  these  toilers  to  establish  social  justice 
has  led  millions  of  them  to  stand  aloof  from  the  church  with 
indifference,  or  suspicion,  or  hatred.    But  see  Lessons  40  to  52. 

Note  3.  Causes  outside  the  Church.  Aside  from  the 
spiritual  inertia  which  in  every  age  keeps  men  from  accepting 
the  supreme  good  which  the  church  offers,  there  are  certain 
conditions  widely  prevalent  in  our  time  that  help  to  explain 
the  present  drift  from  the  church. 

(!)  A  misunderstanding  of  the  nature  and  aims  of  Chris- 
tianity. Many  who  think  they  are  opposing  Christianity  are 
merely  opposing  some  bogy  of  their  own  invention.  There 
are  those,  for  example,  who  denounce  Christianity  and  ecclesi- 
astical tyranny  as  if  they  were  the  same  thing. 

(2)  A  misunderstanding  of  the  nature  and  aims  of  the 
church.  A  good  many  people  think  the  churches  are  only 
social  clubs  for  those  who  are  religiously  incHned;  others, 
that  they  are  ecclesiastical  organizations  that  spend  their 
energies  in  perpetuating  their  own  existence  rather  than  in 
promoting  human  welfare. 

(3)  A  suspicion  that  the  churches  do  not  truly  represent 
the  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ. 

(4)  A  wide-spread  disbelief  in  the  Christian  faith.    Oppo- 


^^^»  Getting  People  to  Church  71 

nents  of  the  faith  have  freely  used  the  platform  and  the  printing- 
press  to  spread  anti-Christian  teachings.  The  sense  of  sin 
has  largely  disappeared.  The  question  of  a  life  hereafter 
arouses  in  many  no  deep  interest. 

(5)  Aside  from  Sunday  newspapers,  excursions,  and  amuse- 
ments, Sunday  is  about  the  only  day  in  the  week  for  looking 
over  the  wealth  of  attractive  literature  inviting  attention 
in  inexpensive  books  and  splendidly  illustrated  magazines. 

{6)  In  the  cities  the  tenement  houses  have  created  a  floating 
population  that  have  neither  permanent  family  homes  nor 
church  homes.  In  the  country  with  many  people  one  of  the 
chief  inducements  to  get  out  to  church  used  to  be  the  social 
chat  that  followed  the  service.  The  telephone  now  enables 
those  socially  inclined  to  dispense  with  the  chtirch. 

(7)  The  trend  of  scientific  thought  in  every  department 
of  knowledge  is  opposed  to  dogmatic  authority.  Hence  many 
scientists  stand  outside  of  the  churches  that  still  insist  on 
submission  to  authority,  and  oppose  free  investigation  into  the 
foundations  of  traditional  beliefs. 

{8)  The  pressure  of  modem  life.  There  are  thousands 
who  use  up  all  their  strength  in  the  struggle  for  food,  clothing, 
and  shelter.  Sunday  is  their  only  day  for  rest  and  recreation, 
and  they  prefer  using  it  for  that  purpose  rather  than  in  church- 
going. 

{9)  The  pressure  of  business  competition,  it  is  urged  by 
many,  is  so  sharp  and  unscrupulous  as  to  force  them  away 
from  the  moral  standards  set  by  the  churches,  with  the  natural 
result  that  they  soon  drift  away  from  the  churches  also. 

{10)  An  influx  of  vast  multitudes  of  foreigners  whose 
ideas  of  Sabbath-keeping  are  wholly  different  from  those 
received  from  our  Puritan  ancestors. 

{11)  The  new  gospels  of  social  redemption  preached  in  a 
variety  of  forms  by  socialists,  communists,  and  anarchists. 
While  this  gospel  as  proclaimed  by  its  most  conscientious 
adherents,  rests  on  some  of  the  fundamental  principles  of 
Christianity  to  such  an  extent  that  many  socialists  are  in  the 
churches,  and  that  there  is  a  Christian  socialist  movement, 
nevertheless  it  is  for  the  most  part  hostile  to  the  churches. 

Note  4.     How  to  Turn  the  Drift  toward  the  Church.    A 

detailed  answer  to  this  question  would  involve  a  discussion 
of  all  the  conditions  noted  above,    Only  a  few  general  sugges- 


72  The  Modern  Church  ^^"o» 

tions  can  be  offered.  So  far  as  the  churches  are  responsible 
for  the  alienation  between  themselves  and  the  non-chtirch- 
goers  it  is  their  first  duty  to  remove  the  conditions  that  produced 
it.  The  church  must  adjust  its  preaching  and  its  methods 
to  the  tremendous  changes  that  have  taken  place  in  human 
thought  and  in  the  social  order  during  the  past  half  century. 
Commonsense  shows  that  when  certain  methods  have  proved 
inadequate  they  should  be  abandoned.  A  rut  in  religious  work 
is  no  more  sacred  than  in  a  roadway.  An  encouraging  fact  is 
that  in  a  fast  increasing  number  ministers  of  all  denominations 
are  girding  themselves  and  their  churches  to  meet  the  impending 
crisis  by  a  social  service  that  will  remove  misunderstandings, 
allay  suspicions,  and  show  that  the  churches  with  all  their 
faults  are  still  followers  of  the  Carpenter  of  Nazareth,  whom 
the  common  people  heard  gladly.  The  people  must  be  made  to 
see  that  the  Christian  church,  even  on  the  lower  plane  of 
social  progress,  has  done  more  for  the  alleviation  of  human 
sufferings,  for  the  supplanting  of  social  wrongs  by  human 
rights,  and  for  spreading  broadcast  through  the  earth  the 
spirit  of  democracy  as  against  despotism  and  tyranny  than  all 
other  agencies  combined.  It  will  be  no  easy  task  to  turn  the 
tide.  The  churches,  however,  will  have  this  initial  advantage, 
that  the  great  majority  of  the  people,  in  spite  of  their  indif- 
ference to  ecclesiastical  Christianity,  honor  and  reverence 
Jesus  Christ  as  their  Friend  and  Leader.  Getting  the  people 
back  to  the  churches  means  in  a  large  measure  the  reversal 
of  the  conditions  that  have  taken  them  away.  Over  many  of 
these  conditions,  intellectual,  industrial,  economic  conditions 
peculiar  to  our  age,  the  church  has  no  direct  control.  But 
so  far  as  popular  prejudices  rest  on  conditions  within  the 
church's  control  she  must  remove  the  stumbling-blocks.  The 
first  step  toward  bringing  back  those  who  have  drifted  away 
because  of  misunderstandings  is  to  make  them  see  that  the 
church  is  the  most  powerful  instrument  whose  aid  they  can 
enlist  in  the  attainment  of  the  highest  social  ends.  They 
must  be  convinced,  not  by  preaching  merely,  but  by  practical 
demonstrations,  that  the  religion  of  Christ  can  do  more  for  them 
than  any  non-Christian  program  of  life  whatever.  Friendly 
cooperation  on  the  lower  plane  of  the  material  life  must  be 
made  the  entering  wedge  toward  sympathetic  cooperation  on 
the  higher  plane  of  the  spiritual  Hfe.  An  atheistical  community 
is  on  the  swift  road  to  destruction. 


Eleven 


People  to  Church  73 


ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Gray:  N on- Church-Going;  Its  Reasons  and  its  Remedies,  New  York, 
1911.  {2)  Crocker:  The  Church  of  To-day,  Boston,  1906.  (5)  Stelzle: 
Christianity s  Storm  Centre,  New  York  and  Chicago,  1907.  (4)  Mathews: 
The  Church  and  the  Chayiging  Order,  New  York,  1907.  (5)  Gladden:  The 
Young  Men  and  the  Churches,  Boston,  1885. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  Why  should  the  churches  sustain  prayer  meetings? 

2.  Mention  the  most  coijimon  types  of  devotional  meetings. 

3.  What  constitutes  a  good  prayer  meeting? 

4.  What  benefits  accrue  from  good  prayer  meetings? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  is  the  attitude  towards  the  churches  of  the  majority  of  the 
people  outside? 


2.  What  is  the  obvious  effect  on  most  of  the  churches? 


3.  What  is  the  resulting  peril  to  the  church? 


4.  How  has  the  conservatism  of  the  churches  affected  the  people? 


5.  Mention  some  other  causes  that  have  increased  popular  indifference 
toward  the  churches. 


6.  What  has  been  the  attitude  of  the  churches  as  a  whole  toward  the 
social  movements  of  our  times? 


7.  Mention  some  points  wherein  the  churches  have  been  misunderstood 
and  that  have  turned  the  people  away  from  them. 


74  The  Modern  Church  ■  ^^"''^ 

8.  How  has  the  scientific  progress  of  our  time  affected  many  people  in 
relation  to  the  churches? 


9.  How  have  industrial,  economic,  and  social  conditions  affected  church- 
going? 


10.  State  in  general  how  all  these  conditions  bear  on  the  problem  of 
winning  the  people  back  to  the  churches. 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  proportion  of  the  people  in  your  neighborhood,  aside  from 
Cathohcs,  do  you  think  attend  church  more  or  less  regularly? 

2.  What  other  reasons  for  their  not  going  to  church,  aside  from  those 
mentioned  in  the  lesson,  have  you  discovered? 

3.  To  what  extent,  so  far  as  you  can  see,  is  your  church  trying  to  prove 
that  Christianity  means  not  only  individual  salvation  in  the  next  world, 
but  social  salvation  in  this? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  How  shall  we  answer  those  who  tell  us  that  the  usefulness  of  the 
church  is  at  an  end? 

2.  Why  are  there  generally  more  women  than  men  at  church? 


Lesson   12.      GETTING   PEOPLE    TO    CHURCH:     Local 
Conditions  and  Problems. 

Scripture  Reading:  Personal  Work  in  Winning  Men.     Jo.  1:43-51. 

Note  1.  Need  of  Wisdom  and  Grit.  Toward  the  solution 
of  the  problem  presented  in  the  preceding  lesson  each  local 
church  must  make  what  contribution  it  can  along  the  lines 
there  suggested.  The  drift  from  the  church  that  has  been 
caused  by  adverse  conditions  inherent  in  modem  civilization 
covers  the  entire  Christian  world,  and  it  cannot  be  counteracted 
at  once  or  by  local  remedies  alone.  And  yet  the  problem  is 
local  as  well  as  general.  Each  church  must  study  its  own. 
field.    It  must  discover  remedies  and  set  itself  to  apply  them 


'^■^'^"^  Getting  People  to  Church  75 

with  grace  and  wisdom.  An  up-to-date  business  man  who 
sees  that  he  is  losing  trade  is  not  content  to  sit  still  and  let  the 
drift  go  on.  Even  though  it  may  cause  a  hard  wrench  to  get 
out  of  his  well-worn  rut,  he  knows  it  is  his  only  salvation.  He 
gets  out  and  **  hustles."  He  studies  the  methods  that  have 
increased  trade  elsewhere,  and,  so  far  as  they  seem  applicable 
to  his  own  conditions,  he  is  swift  to  try  them  Success  may 
not  come  at  once,  but  he  keeps  on  trying  until  by  patience 
and  pluck  and  toil  he  "  wins  out."  What  the  ordinary  church 
needs  is  a  little  more  of  the  wisdom  and  grit  of  the  ordinary 
business  man.  Shall  it  evermore  be  said  that  "  the  sons  of 
this  world  are  for  their  own  generation  wiser  than  the  sons 
of  light"?  There  are  legitimate  means  for  increasing  attend- 
ance that  every  church  can  adopt  and  adapt.  They  may 
not  be  equally  successful  in  every  place.  But  a  vigorous  trial 
of  new  methods,  even  if  it  does  nothing  more,  will  keep  the 
chtirch  alive  and  stirring,  and  that  is  better  than  dying  of 
inertia.  A  church  that  is  really  awake  to  its  opportunities, 
however,  is  not  likely  to  lack  at  least  a  fair  congregation. 

Note  2.  Cautions  to  be  Observed.  When  a  church  is 
suddenly  stirred  to  the  need  of  activity  in  reaching  non-church- 
goers, unless  wise  counsels  prevail,  serious  mistakes  are  likely 
to  be  made.  Methods  that  are  easy,  that  promise  quick  results, 
and  that  involve  little  personal  consecration  are  often  chosen 
in  preference  to  those  that  operate  slowly  and  cost  consci- 
entious effort.  A  common  temptation  is  to  bait  the  hook 
with  spectacular  methods,  flaring  advertisements,  sensational 
themes,  comments  on  the  latest  startling  crime  or  social  scandal, 
stereopticon  views,  or  other  similar  devices  that  attract  only 
so  far  as  they  appeal  to  a  morbid  hankering  after  entertainment. 
As  -places  for  mere  diversion  the  churches  can  never  compete 
with  moving  picture  shows  or  theaters.  When  people  get 
an  idea  that  the  churches  are  in  a  rather  attenuated  form  of 
the  show-business,  they  will  go  where  they  get  the  real  thing. 
The  churches  would  do  better  to  leave  sensational  methods 
to  the  Salvation  Army  that  knows  how  to  use  them  to  excellent 
advantage.  The  people  the  churches  are  after  are  not  to  be 
caught  by  methods  that  they  suspect  are  only  dodges  to  lure 
them  inside  of  the  sanctuary. 

Another  frequent  temptation  is  to  resort  to  excessive  organi- 
zation.   The  discovery  is  made  that  only  a  small  fraction  of 


76  The  Modern  Chtirch  ^"^^^ 

the  power  latent  in  the  church  is  really  employed.  Forthwith 
there  is  a  sudden  enthusiasm  for  getting  all  the  people  to  work. 
Committees  of  all  sorts  are  appointed;  territories  are  mapped 
out  for  district  visitation ;  the  sick  and  the  poor  are  to  be  looked 
up  and  given  relief;  absentees  are  to  be  required  to  give  an 
account  of  themselves;  strangers  are  to  be  drawn  in  and  wel- 
comed; and  scores  of  other  things  are  thought  of  that  should 
be  done.  Everybody  is  given  something  to  do.  Nobody 
will  deny  that  a  church  in  which  every  one  is  engaged  at  some 
appropriate  task  has  reached  the  ideal  of  efficiency.  People 
are  called  into  the  kingdom  of  God  for  service,  and  not  for 
spiritual  ease  and  idleness.  Churches  should  try  to  realize 
the  fact  that  the  Master  gives  *'  to  every  one  his  work."  Effi- 
ciency, however,  is  a  plant  of  slow  growth.  Organizations 
that,  like  Jonah's  gourd,  spring  up  in  a  night  are  likely  to 
share  a  similar  fate.  When  the  organization  is  perfected,  the 
people  sit  down  to  admire  it  and  see  it  work.  They  think  they 
have  discovered  the  secret  of  perpetual  motion,  a  machine 
that  creates  its  own  power.  But  the  whole  thing  slumps. 
Each  individual  shirks  his  responsibility  behind  the  organization 
which  is  expected  to  do  the  work.  Better  far  one  small  group 
of  live  workers  than  a  score  of  committees  that  appear  only 
for  decorative  purposes  on  the  back  of  the  Sunday  calendar. 
A  thorough  and  efficient  organization  is  one  that,  like  a  living 
plant  or  animal,  develops  its  organic  parts  one  by  one,  and 
only  as  fast  as  they  are  needed. 

Note  3.  Beginning  with  the  Church.  It  was  shown  in 
the  preceding  lesson  that  the  present  drift  from  the  churches 
is  due  in  some  instances  to  causes  over  which  the  churches 
exercise  control.  So  far  as  this  is  the  case,  it  is  manifestly  the 
duty  of  the  churches,  in  trying  to  reverse  the  drift,  to  work 
from  the  center  outwards,  "  beginning  at  Jerusalem." 

In  work  of  this  kind  the  pastor  must  be  the  inspiring  leader. 
In  most  cases  it  is  better  that  he  should  be  an  average,  faithful 
servant  of  his  Lord  than  a  shining  genius.  In  the  long  run  a 
conscientious  plodder  will  bring  about  more  lasting  results. 
Those  whom  he  attracts  are  attached,  not  to  him,  but  to  Christ 
and  the  church,  and  they  stay  when  he  goes.  But  where  a 
pastor  leads,  the  people  must  follow.  No  general  wins  a  victory 
without  the  loyal  support  of  his  army. 

Consult  with  the  pastor  about  making  the  pubHc  worship 


^^^'^'«  Getting  People  to  Church  77 

as  attractive  and  efficient  as  possible  without  resorting  to 
clap-trap.  Make  the  spiritual  feast  not  only  inviting  but 
rich  and  nourishing,  so  that  hungry  souls  shall  not  go  away  sad 
and  disappointed  as  from  a  table  full  of  splendid  but  empty  dishes. 

Revitalize  the  prayer  meeting.  It  is  here  that  the  church 
gets  inspiration  and  strength  for  service.  Bring  the  insiders 
into  the  prayer  meeting  before  making  concerted  efforts  to 
bring  outsiders  into  the  chiu-ch.  From  a  live,  stimulating  prayer 
meeting  the  people  will  go  to  these  outsiders  with  more  courage 
and  confidence,  because  they  feel  in  their  own  hearts  that  they 
are  carrying  a  message  that  the  world  needs. 

Train  the  children  in  the  Simday  school  to  attend  the  church 
service.  While  it  is  true  that  the  church  receives  by  far  the 
larger  part  of  its  communicants  from  the  Sunday  school,  it 
is  also  lamentably  true  that  by  far  the  larger  number  of  the 
children  who  pass  through  the  Sunday  school  are  never  after- 
wards found  in  the  churches.  It  has  been  too  generally  im- 
agined that  when  children  disappear  from  the  Sunday  school 
they  reappear  in  the  church.  The  fact  is  that  when  the  habit 
of  church  attendance  has  not  been  established  in  connection 
with  the  school,  it  is  seldom  established  aftenvards. 

Give  the  people  something  to  do.  If  possible  make  every 
member  of  the  church  or  congregation  responsible  for  some 
specific  duty.  Few  things  are  so  helpful  in  establishing  habits 
of  regular  attendance  as  the  consciousness  that  one  is  needed 
somewhere  in  the  church  organization.  This  is  especially 
important  in  the  case  of  young  men  upon  whom  responsibility 
for  some  form  of  Christian  service  should  be  placed  very  early 
in  their  career  in  the  church. 

The  organized  adult  class  may  be  made  a  strong  factor  in 
increasing  church  attendance.  Every  member  of  the  class 
touches  elbows  with  some  man  whom  the  minister  never 
meets,  and  who  would  in  many  cases  scarcely  relish  a  call 
from  him.  With  the  layman  he  is  willing  to  talk  on  all  subjects, 
even  religion.  This  is  the  man  whom  he  can  invite  to  the  class 
again  and  again.  Of  course  it  is  never  wise  to  persecute  a  man 
with  attentions,  but  if  a  class  makes  up  its  mind  that  it  wants 
such  a  man  it  can  usually  get  him  by  tact  and  perseverance, 
first  into  the  class  and  then  into  the  church. 

Note  4.     Pastoral   Work   in   Winning   Church   Attendants. 

The  minister  of  an  average  church  must  be  a  pastor  as  well 


78  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^°« 

as  a  preacher.  "  The  Christian  minister,"  said  Chalmers, 
**  is  a  man  of  no  rank  because  he  is  a  man  of  all  ranks;  and 
although  he  should  have  an  education  which  might  qualify 
him  for  holding  converse  with  princes  and  peers,  it  is  his  pecu- 
liar glory  to  be  a  frequent  visitant  of  the  poor  man's  humble 
cottage,  and  to  pray  by  the  poor  man's  dying  bed."  It  is  an 
old  saying  that  "  a  house-going  minister  makes  a  church-going 
people."  The  friendly  and  sympathetic  relations  established 
in  the  home  win  attentive  and  interested  listeners  in  the  pew. 
The  pastor  can  do  much  by  instituting  a  campaign  for 
families.  In  the  ancient  world  the  family  was  the  smallest 
social  unit.  The  individual  counted  for  little  except  as  a  member 
of  a  family  or  clan.  The  head  of  the  family  was  held  responsible 
for  the  conduct  of  all  its  members.  Hence  the  extraordinary 
authority  which  was  conceded  to  him.  On  the  other  hand 
all  the  members  of  the  family  shared  in  the  punishment  of 
his  guilt  (cf.  Josh.  ch.  7).  Our  age  has  gone  to  the  opposite 
extreme  of  excessive  individualism.  The  family  as  a  social 
unit  is  overshadowed  by  the  importance  attached  to  the  in- 
dividual. The  minister  should  therefore  magnify  the  family 
in  his  preaching.  In  his  visitations  his  appeal  to  the  father 
should  be  based  'not  only  on  personal  obligations  but  on  re- 
sponsibility to  society  as  the  head  of  a  social  group.  Every 
community  needs  Christian  homes  as  well  as  Christian  churches. 
At  public  worship  the  family  idea  should  be  still  further  empha- 
sized by  having  the  family  sit  together  instead  of  being  scattered 
through  the  congregation  as  is  sometimes  the  case. 

Note  5.  Systematic  Church  Visitation.  This  is  usually 
assigned  to  committees  who  are  charged  with  the  duty  of 
looking  after  the  residents  in  a  certain  district.  It  is  doubtful, 
however,  if  this  is  the  best  way.  The  visitors,  going  singly  or 
by  two  and  two  as  did  Jesus'  disciples,  may  be  received  with 
formal  courtesy,  but  most  people  rather  resent  official  visits 
of  this  kind.  When  they  suspect  that  an  invitation  to  attend 
church  is  not  a  spontaneous  expression  of  personal  interest, 
but  the  fulfilment  of  an  appointed  task,  even  if  cheerfully 
undertaken,  they  will  care  as  little  for  it  as  for  an  official 
greeting  from  a  "  welcome  committee." 

A  better  way  is  for  the  pastor,  first  of  all,  to  analyze  the 
community  in  which  the  church  is  situated,  and  then  his 
membership.     From  the  latter  he  should  select  small  groups, 


^«'«^^^  Getting  People  to  Church  79 

each  composed  of  persons  of  nearly  the  same  social  standing, 
mental  equipment,  or  industrial  position.  Each  group  should 
be  charged  with  the  duty  of  winning  by  friendly  attentions 
and  sympathy  certain  non-churchgoers  of  its  own  class  whom 
the  pastor  points  out.  This  scheme  of  parish  visitation  is 
based  on  real  community  of  interests  rather  than  accidental 
contiguity  of  residence.  It  prevents  the  irritations  that  are 
almost  sure  to  arise  when  social  congruities  are  not  observed. 
Within  the  church  social  distinctions  are  properly  laid  aside, 
but  outside  people  must  be  taken  as  the  church  finds  them. 
The  rich  are  often  proud,  and  in  many  instances  would  resent 
as  an  impertinence  a  church  visit  from  a  wage-earner.  The 
poor  are  sensitive,  and  only  the  rarest  tact  on  the  part  of  a 
rich  church  visitor  can  prevent  a  feeling  that  they  are  being 
patronized.  All  work  of  this  kind,  whether  done  by  a  committee 
or  a  group,  should  be  performed  as  quietly  and  unobtrusively 
as  possible.  A  good  hunter  does  not  scare  away  his  game  by 
blowing  a  trumpet. 

The  value  of  the  neighborhood  prayer  meeting  cannot  be 
overestimated  as  an  agency  for  increasing  church  attendance. 
This  subject  will  be  more  fully  considered  in  the  next  lesson. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Dr.  Gladden  in  The  Christian  Pastor  and  the  Working  Church  (pp. 
172-203)  has  an  admirable  chapter  on  "  The  Pastor  as  Friend,"  in  which 
he  discusses  every  phase  of  pastoral  church  visitation. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  is  the  present  attitude  of  the  majority  of  non- churchgoers 
toward  organized  Christianity? 

2.  Mention  some  causes  for  this  attitude  that  appear  within  the  churches 
themselves. 

3.  Mention  some  of  the  causes  outside  of  the  churches  that  have  tended 
to  decrease  attendance. 

4.  How  can  the  popular  attitude  toward  the  churches  be  changed? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  How,  as  a  rule,  must  local  churches  meet  their  own  problems  of  non- 
attendance  on  public  worship? 


2.  What  questionable  methods  are  frequently  adopted  in  order  to  get 
people  to  church? 


80  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^^" 

3.  What  is  the  usual  result  of  a  spasmodic  attempt  to  get  all  the  church 
members  at  work  gathering  in  strangers? 


4.  How  fast  should  organization  for  this  purpose  proceed? 


5.  What  kind  of  minister  makes  the  best  leader  in  the  work  of  reaching 
non-church  goers  ? 


6.  Mention  some  of  its  own  agencies  that  the  church  can  utilize  in  increas- 
ing attendance  on  the  Sunday  services. 


7.  How  can  the  minister  help  in  bringing  in  strangers? 


8.  How  can  the  family  idea  be  m.ade  fruitful  in  results? 


9.  What  disadvantages  pertain  to  committee  work  in  recruiting  for  the 
church  services? 


10.  Describe  briefly  the  group  method. 


Thirteen     fhe  Everyday  Growth  in  Church  Membership  81 

SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Attendance  at  our  church  on  an  ordinary  Sunday  as  compared  with 
the  membership. 

Date  of  count 

Count  made  by 

MORNING  SERVICE. 
Males  Present.  Number  of  Male  Members  on  Church  Record. 

Females  Present.         Number  of  Female  Members  on  Church  Record. 

Total  Present.  Total  Members  on  Church  Record. 

Of  those  Present  are  Young  Men  Estimated  to  be 

(16-30  Years  of  Age.) 
Of  those  Present  are  Young  Women  Estimated  to  be 

(16-30  Years  of  Age.) 

EVENING  SERVICE. 
Total  Number  Present. 
Young  Men  Present. 
Young  Women  Present. 


2.  How  many  of  the  churches  in  your  town  are  growing :  ? 

How  many  are  standing  still ?     How  many  are  losing ? 

3.  Is  the  population  of  your  town  increasing?  standing  still?  diminishing? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Does  your  Sunday  school  train  its  pupils  to  regular  church  attendance? 
If  not,  how  can  it  do  so? 

2.  Can    you  suggest  any  wholesome  method  by  which  non-churchgoers 
in  your  neighborhood  can  be  persuaded  to  change  their  ways? 


Lesson  13.    THE    EVERYDAY    GROWTH    IN    CHURCH 
MEMBERSHIP. 

Scripture  Reading:  Daily  Additions  to  the  Church.     Acts  2: 44-47. 

Note  1.  Ministering  to  the  Unchurched.  Both  ministers 
and  churches  are  tempted  at  times  to  restrict  their  work  to 
the  people  directly  connected  with  their  own  congregations. 
The  minister  speaks  of  the  church  as  "  my  parish,"  and  the 
church  claims  him  as  "  our  minister."  The  implication  is 
that  his  time  and  strength  belong  to  them,  as  those  of  an  em- 


82  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^on 

ployee  to  his  employer.  Calls  outside  of  ' '  my  parish , ' '  answered 
by  "our  minister,"  are  looked  on  as  so  much  gratuitous 
service  bestowed  as  one  gives  alms  to  a  supplicant.  This 
certainly  was  not  Jesus'  thought  of  His  own  mission.  To  the 
Syrophoenician  woman  imploring  His  aid  He  said:  "I  was 
not  sent  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel"  (Mt. 
15:24).  He  was  Israel's  Messiah,  but  so  deeply  was  He 
"moved  with  compassion"  over  the  multitudes  "distressed 
and  scattered,  as  sheep  not  having  a  shepherd  "  that  He  could 
speak  of  His  mission  as  being  virtually  to  them  alone  (Mt 
9 :  36) .  This  mission  of  the  ' '  lost  sheep  ' '  He  committed  to 
His  followers:  "As  thou  didst  send  me  into  the  world,  even 
so  sent  I  them  into  the  world"  (Jo.  17:17).  Churches  that 
seek  chiefly  their  own  spiritual  comfort  are  neglectful  of  one 
of  the  main  reasons  for  their  existence.  The  church  is  the 
supreme,  if  not  the  sole,  agency  through  which  the  outside 
world  is  to  experience  the  saving  and  lifting  power  of  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  In  reaching  out  after  the  heathen 
on  the  other  side  of  the  earth  it  should  not  overlook  the  heathen 
at  its  own  doors.  The  minister's  field  is  the  community  in 
which  he  lives,  and  his  church  is  the  plow  by  which  he  culti- 
vates that  field.  The  minister  is  supported  by  the  church, 
not  as  its  servant,  but  as  the  servant  of  Christ  to  do  His  work. 
As  the  finger  belongs  not  to  the  hand  only  but  to  the  whole 
body,  so  the  minister  belongs  not  only  to  the  church  that 
pays  his  salary  but  to  the  whole  community  of  which  that 
church  forms  a  part.  Minister  and  church  working  together 
are  responsible  for  the  evangelization  of  the  surrounding 
neighborhood. 

Note  2.  Evangelistic  Preaching.  The  pulpit  ministry 
should  be  broad  enough  to  touch  all  classes.  Some  ministers 
make  the  mistake  of  preaching  almost  exclusively  to  the  people 
already  in  the  chin-ch.  Others  as  persistently  hammer  at  the 
sinners  who  are  probably  sitting  at  home  reading  the  Sunday 
papers.  While  it  is  true  that  the  greater  part  of  any  ordinary 
congregation  consists  of  church  members,  there  will  nearly 
always  be  present  some  who  have  not  made  a  personal  decision 
for  Christ.  If  a  real  sermon  is  "  a  discoiu-se  designed  and 
adapted  to  lead  men  to  obey  Christ,"  then  every  sermon 
should  contain  some  exposition  of  religious  truth  or  direct 
appeal  fitted  to  quicken  the  sense  of  duty  in  this  respect.    It 


Thirteen      jhe  Everyday  Growth  in  Church  Membership  83 

should  minister  to  those  who  have  accepted  the  word  of  sal- 
vation and  to  those  who  have  not.  There  are  of  course  times 
when  the  law  must  be  emphasized  more  than  the  gospel,  or 
vice  versa;  but  there  is  probably  no  time  when  either  should 
be  wholly  ignored. 

Should  ministers  "  draw  the  net  "  after  every  service? 
There  are  preachers  of  such  evangelistic  type  that  a  call  for 
decisive  action  seems  appropriate  after  almost  every  sermon. 
But  such  men  are  exceptional,  and  they  rarely  stay  long  in 
one  place.  There  are  churches  also  where  the  tide  of  spiritual 
life  runs  so  high  and  so  steadily  that  it  may  be  said  of  them  as 
of  the  Apostolic  church,  that  "  the  Lord  added  to  them  day 
by  day  those  that  were  being  saved"  (Acts  2  :47).  But 
these  also  are  exceptions.  The  ordinary  minister  serving  the 
ordinary  chiirch  would  only  injure  his  cause  by  constant  public 
appeals  that  awaken  no  response.  On  the  other  hand  it  may  be 
an  equally  great  error  never  to  make  such  an  appeal  lest  it  be 
in  vain.  Some  boy  or  girl,  too  timid  to  tell  the  minister  or 
the  church  of  a  hidden  desire  to  confess  a  Christian  life,  may 
have  been  waiting  for  months  for  an  opportiuiity  to  do  so  by 
lifting  the  hand  or  rising  for  a  moment.  Wise  "  fishers  of  men  " 
will  have  an  almost  instinctive  sense  of  spiritual  conditions 
that  encourage  appeals  for  public  response.  A  standing  invi- 
tation from  the  minister  to  all  who  want  to  converse  with  him 
on  matters  of  personal  reHgion  at  some  fixed  hour  will  often 
bring  those  who  would  not  take  a  first  step  in  public.  Under 
all  circumstances  the  way  should  be  wide  open  through  the 
Sunday  school. 

Note  3.  Carrying  the  Church  into  the  Community.  Many 
feel  that  if  the  people  outside  will  not  come  to  the  chiu-ch 
the  church  must  go  to  them.    This  can  be  done  in  various  ways. 

Street  preaching  is  sometimes  urged.  Groups  of  people  are 
thus  reached,  it  is  said,  who  otherwise  would  never  hear  the 
gospel.  Others,  however,  question  the  expediency  of  such  a 
measure.  To  them  it  seems  a  tacit  admission  that  between 
the  chiu-ch  and  those  whom  it  tries  to  reach  in  this  way  there 
are  practically  impassable  barriers.  They  are  poor  and  they 
live  in  neighborhoods  that  have  been  otherwise  abandoned 
by  the  churches.  "  What  these  poor  people  need  above  every- 
thing else  is  friendship — the  kind  of  friendship  which  the  church, 
in  the  ideal  of  its  Founder,  undertakes  to  provide.     It  is  not 


84  The  Modern  Church  -^"^^^ 

truth,  it  is  not  even  gospel  truth,  ever  so  pathetically  uttered, 
it  is  love  that  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.  What  these  people 
want  is  love,  and  such  social  relations  with  their  Christian 
neighbors  as  shall  allow  the  expression  of  this  love.  .  .  .  The 
church  which  stands  near  to  a  neighborhood  where  numbers 
of  such  people  Hve  has  a  great  opportunity.  Its  work  cannot 
be  done  by  sending  bands  of  its  young  people  about  to  stand 
on  the  comers  of  the  streets  and  speak  and  sing  to  those  who 
are  passing,  but  rather  by  sending  its  best  and  its  bravest  out 
two  by  two  into  the  streets  and  the  highways,  the  attics  and 
the  cellars,  to  constrain  them  to  come  into  its  own  sanctuary, 
and  by  providing  such  a  welcome  for  them  that  when  they 
do  come  in  they  shall  feel  themselves  to  be  among  friends." 
— Gladden. 

The  gospel  can  also  be  carried  into  the  community  by  mission 
churches,  mission  schools,  rescue  missions,  and  similar  devices. 
Work  of  this  kind  should  not  be  left  to  the  minister,  but  should 
as  far  as  possible  be  undertaken  and  carried  on  by  the  church 
members.  Such  measures,  however,  seldom  bring  an  increase 
of  members  to  the  churches  that  maintain  the  missions,  though 
they  unquestionably  do  much  good  in  other  directions.  Where 
the  idea  of  a  "  mission  "is  emphasized  it  tends  to  raise  still 
higher  the  barrier  between  the  rich  and  the  poor.  Better  begin 
a  work  of  that  kind  with  an  emphasis  on  the  purpose  of  its 
eventually  growing  into  a  church  where  all  classes  may  feel  at 
home. 

A  very  effective  way  of  carrying  the  church  to  the  non- 
churchgoers  is  by  the  neighborhood  prayer  meeting.  A  few 
Christian  families  living  near  one  another  unite  in  a  circle 
for  Scripture  reading,  song,  and  prayer.  Other  neighbors  are 
invited  in.  They  catch  the  friendly  Christian  spirit  of  the 
meeting  and  by  tact  and  sympathetic  appeal  are  often  led  to 
take  a  stand  for  Christ.  Many  a  revival  has  begun  in  these 
informal  prayer  circles,  where  heart  touches  heart,  and  where 
the  Saviour's  presence  is  clearly  felt. 

Note  4.  Personal  Work  in  Winning  Souls.  There  is  no 
more  effective  way  of  increasing  the  membership  of  a  church 
than  by  individual  work.  Hand-picked  fniit  is  the  best. 
In  all  the  years  since  Paul  went  out  to  plant  churches  in  the 
Grseco-Roman  world,  no  essential  improvement  has  been 
devised  on  the  method  employed  by  Him.     To  the  elders  of 


Thiriem      jj^^  Everyday  Growth  in  Church  Membership  85 

the  chiirch  at  Ephesus  whom  he  summoned  to  Miletus  for  a 
final  interview  he  recalled  the  outstanding  features  of  his 
ministry  among  them.  It  was  by  "  teaching  you  publicly, 
and  from  house  to  house,"  and  the  substance  of  his  testimony 
was  "  both  to  Jews  and  to  Greeks  repentance  toward  God, 
and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  "  (Acts  20  :  20,  21). 
This  ministry  was  backed  up  by  a  pure,  humble,  self-denying 
life  that  irresistibly  attracted  seekers  after  truth.  The  same 
is  true  to-day.  A  godly  life  is  the  best  recommendation  of 
the  gospel.  Moral  perfection  is  not  necessary.  Faults  of  one 
kind  or  another  every  one  has.  But  when  a  business  man  says, 
"  I  like  to  hear  Mr.  A  talk  in  the  prayer  meeting,  because 
I've  had  dealings  with  him  for  twenty  years";  when  a  wage- 
earner  says,  "  I  know  that  my  employer  is  a  Christian,  because 
I've  worked  for  him";  when  boys  or  girls  in  a  Sunday  school 
say,  "  There's  no  sham  about  our  teacher," — if  such  Chris- 
tians would  add  to  their  other  virtues  a  zeal  for  winning  souls 
they  could  do  more  than  eloquent  sermons,  long  prayers,  or 
fervid  exhortations.  The  churches  here  and  there  that  are 
really  remarkable  only  because  they  are  what  all  churches 
should  be,  owe  their  spiritual  power  to  the  large  number  of 
faithful  souls  who  are  working  by  word  and  example  in  winning 
others  to  the  Christian  life.  When  Lyman  Beecher  was  pastor 
of  Park  Street  church  in  Boston  he  gave  this  as  the  secret  of 
his  ministerial  success:  "  I  preach  on  Sunday,  but  I  have 
four  hundred  and  fifty  members  who  take  up  my  message  on 
Monday  and  preach  it  wherever  they  go." 

Note  5.  Increase  from  the  Sunday  school.  In  winning 
members  for  any  church  the  most  fruitful  field  is  its  own  Sunday 
school.  The  latter  should  be  regarded  as  a  natural  passageway 
into  the  former.  Teachers  shoiild  never  lose  sight  of  the  fact 
that  the  aim  of  the  school  is  not  merely  to  teach  a  little  Biblical 
History,  but  to  develop  Christian  character  and  lead  the 
pupils  into  fellowship  with  the  church.  The  pupils  should  be 
taught  to  think  of  themselves  as  followers  of  Christ  and  to 
think  of  service  in  the  church  as  a  privilege  to  be  eagerly  antici- 
pated. Many  teachers  shrink  from  jjrobing  into  the  religious 
life  of  their  pupils.  This  attitude  of  caution  is  exceedingly 
wholesome.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  attempt  to  break  down 
the  instinctive  reticence  of  young  people  in  religious  matters. 
On  the  other  hand  most  yoimg  people  long  for  an  older  friend 


86  The  Modern  Church  -^"^o" 

in  whom  they  may  confide  their  deepest  problems  and  aspira- 
tions. 

"  I  wish  you  would  talk  to  me!"  said  a  young  girl  of  whom 
Miss  Slattery  tells. 

"  About  what,"  I  asked. 

"  Well,"  she  said,  hesitatingly,  "  about  being  a  Christian — I 
just  long  to  have  some  one  talk  to  me  about  prayer,  and — "  she 
said  the  word  with  great  effort — "  about  Christ.  Once  I  called 
on  my  Sunday  school  teacher  to  ask  her  if  she  would,  but  she 
was  not  at  home." 

Surely  it  is  of  paramount  importance  that  the  Sunday  school 
teacher  should  always  be  "at  home,  "  in  every  sense  of  the 
word,  when  such  an  eager,  trembling  hand  as  that  of  this  young 
girl  comes  knocking  at  her  door.  Each  teacher  should  seek 
to  build  up  such  an  intimate  friendship  between  himself  and 
each  of  his  pupils,  that  confidential  talks  regarding  the  most 
sacred  and  serious  questions  of  life  shall  be  easy  and  natural; 
and  when  he  has  built  up  such  a  friendship,  should  not  hesitate 
to  take  the  initiative  in  leading  up  to  such  conversations  when 
appropriate  opportunities  present  themselves. 

Some  Sunday  schools  set  apart  one  day  in  the  year  as 
"  Decision  Day."  It  may  be  badly  handled  and  lead  only  to 
disappointment;  but  when  managed  tactfully,  and  with  due 
preparation,  it  has  in  many  cases  proved  invaluable  in  helping 
the  young  people  to  assimie  the  full  duties  and  responsibilities 
of  Christian  discipleship  and  church  membership.  In  some 
churches,  certain  weeks  in  the  spring  of  each  year,  perhaps  in 
the  Lenten  season,  are  regarded  as  a  "  Decision  Season."  The 
following  suggestions  may  be  made  regarding  the  proper  method 
of  conducting  this  type  of  special  religious  appeal. 

{!)  The  lower  grades  in  the  Sunday  school,  that  is,  the 
Primary  and  Beginners'  Departments,  should  not  participate 
in  the  service.  These  pupils  would  not  understand  its  meaning. 
{2)  As  regards  the  older  pupils,  prepare  their  minds  for  the 
service  several  weeks  in  advance.  Lead  them  to  look  forward 
to  it  eagerly  as  a  kind  of  Rally  Day  in  the  Christian  hfe;  a 
day  of  good  cheer  and  sunshine  and  enthusiasm.  {3)  Invari- 
ably assume  that  the  attitude  of  rebellion  against  God  is  some- 
thing abnormal.  Take  for  granted  that  all  the  pupils,  unless 
indeed  there  be  some  unfortunate  exceptions,  are  already 
conscious  disciples  of  Jesus.  (4)  It  follows  from  the  above 
that  any  method  or  device  which  could  possibly  cause  embarrass- 


Thirteen       fhe  Everyday  Growth  in  Church  Membership  87 

ment  to  any  one  should  be  utterly  tabooed.  It  is  little  short 
of  criminal  to  say,  "  All  Christians  stand  up."  As  a  rule,  among 
those  who  remain  seated  at  such  a  time,  are  some  of  the  most 
sincere  and  Christlike  pupils  in  the  school.  And  even  if  some 
of  them,  on  the  other  hand,  have  really  been  drifting  in  the 
wrong  direction,  or  have  consciously  set  themselves  in  an  atti- 
tude of  defiance  toward  God  and  their  own  best  ideals,  the 
surest  way  to  drive  them  still  further  in  the  wrong  direction 
is  to  single  them  out  in  this  embarrassing  way. 

In  some  churches  the  pastor  conducts  a  class  of  young  people 
for  the  express  purpose  of  teaching  them  more  fully  what  it 
means  to  be  a  Christian  and  a  church  member.  Essentially 
the  same  purpose  underlies  the  so-called  "  confirmation  classes," 
as  conducted  by  several  Christian  bodies.  All  of  these  efforts 
are  tacit  recognitions  of  the  fact  that  it  is  in  the  early  teens 
that  the  most  important  religious  awakenings  of  life  are  likely 
to  occur,  and  that  these  years  therefore  should  be  years  of 
spiritual  harvest  for  the  Christian  worker.  Any  efforts  in  this 
direction,  however  hesitatingly  they  may  be  made,  are  better 
than  no  efforts  at  all.  The  church  that  most  carefully  guards 
its  children,  and  gives  to  its  adolescent  boys  and  girls  the  m.ost 
tender  religious  nurture,  makes  the  surest  provision  for  future 
strength  and  prosperity. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Gladden:  The  Christian  Pastor  and  the  Working  Church,  New  York, 
1901,  ch.  XI  on  "  Parish  Evangelization."  {2)  Trumbull:  Individual 
Work  for  Individuals,  New  York,  1901.  (5)  Goodell:  Pastoral  and  Personal 
Evangelism,  New  York  and  Chicago,  1907. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  Mention  some  unwise  methods  that  are  sometimes  employed  to  got 
people  to  church. 

2.  What  measures  can  a  local  church  adopt  to  promote  church  attend- 
ance? 

3.  How  may  the  pastor  do  much  in  increasing  the  congregation? 

4.  What  is  the  most  effective  way  to  get  people  to  church? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  How  are  ministers  and  churches  tempted  to  limit  their  fields  of 
service? 


2.  How    should    ministers    and    churches    define    their    responsibility? 


88  The  Modern  Church  ^^"°« 

3.  What  course  should  be  pursued  in  respect  to  public  invitations  to 
begin  the  Christian  life? 


4.  How  can  the  church  be  carried  into  the  surrounding  community? 


5.  What  is  the  best  way  of  winning  people  to  Christ? 


6.  What  kind  of  life  is  needed  on  the  part  of  those  who  undertake 
personal  work  for  souls? 


7.  What  is  the  secret  of  the  spiritual  power  manifested  by  some  churches  J 


8.  Why  should  extraordinary  attention  be  given  to  the  Sunday  school 
as  a  source  of  additions  for  the  church? 


9.  Mention  some  ways  by  which  the  young  people  in  the  Sunday  school 
can  be  helped  to  begin  the  Christian  life. 

SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  many  persons  were  confirmed  in  or  added  to  your  church  last 
year  otherwise  than  by  letter  from  other  churches? 

2.  What  has  been  the  average  annual  addition  of  such  members  during 
the  last  ten  years? 

3.  From  what  sources  has  the  church  derived  its  increase? 

4.  If  you  are  a  member  of  the  church,  have  you  made  any  personal 
efforts  to  win  others  to  Christ? 

5.  If  not,  why  not? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  What  responsibility  rests  on  the  lay  members  of  a  church  for  its 
everyday  growth  in  membership? 

2.  Is  our  Sunday  school  doing  its  part  to  increase  the  church? 


The  Modern  Church 


Lesson  14.    MODERN  EVANGELISM. 

Scripture  Reading:  Philip  the  EvangeHst  Preaching  in  Samaria. 
Acts  8:  4-13. 

Note  1.  Evangelists  and  Evangelism.  Evangel  means 
"  good  news."  An  evangelist  is  one  who  proclaims  good  news. 
The  term  is  seldom  or  never  used  in  this  wide  sense.  Its 
specific  meaning  is  one  who  proclaims  the  good  news  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ.  In  this 
sense,  however,  every  preacher  is  an  evangelist.  In  modem 
popular  usage  the  difference  between  a  pastor-preacher  and  an 
evangelist  is  that  the  former  is  more  or  less  permanently 
settled  in  charge  of  usually  one  church,  and  ministers  to  all  its 
ordinary  needs;  whereas  the  latter  moves  at  short  intervals 
from  church  to  church,  or  from  city  to  city,  and  devotes  himself 
to  the  work  of  promoting  those  extraordinary  religious  awaken- 
ings known  as  revivals.  Evangelism  is  a  word  that  covers  all 
special  efforts  by  which  the  chiu-ches  seek  to  win  men  to  Chris- 
tian life  and  service,  as  distinguished  from  their  regular  ministry 
through  the  Sunday  worship,  the  Simday  school,  the  weekly 
prayer  or  conference  meeting,  and  other  duly  appointed  agencies. 

Note  2.  Evangelists  in  the  Early  Church.  The  New  Testa- 
ment speaks  of  evangelists  in  three  places.  Acts  21:8  mentions 
"  Philip  the  evangelist,  who  was  one  of  the  seven  "  and  whose 
work  is  specifically  noted  in  Acts,  ch.  8.  That  the  office  of  an 
evangelist  was  distinct  from  that  of  the  other  offices  through 
which  provision  was  made  for  the  spiritual  edification  of  the 
church  seems  clear  from  Eph.  4:11,  where  Paul  enumerates  at 
least  the  chief  of  these:  "And  he  [Christ]  gave  some  to  be 
apostles;  and  some,  prophets;  and  some,  evangelists;  and 
some,  pastors  and  teachers."  In  2  Tim.  4:5  Paul  exhorts 
Timothy  to  "do  the  work  of  an  evangelist,"  which  appears  to 
be  something  different  from  the  preaching  of  the  word  mentioned 
in  verse  2. 


90  The  Modern  Church  ^^'"''' 

A  study  of  these  passages  suggests  {!)  that  evangehsts  were 
regarded  as  holding  a  lower  rank  than  apostles  and  prophets. 
Philip  could  not  impart  the  Holy  Spirit  to  those  who  were 
converted  under  his  preaching  in  Samaria.  An  apostle  or 
prophet  could  do  the  work  of  an  evangelist,  but  an  evangeHst 
could  not  do  the  work  of  an  apostle  or  prophet.  {2)  That 
evangelists  were  usually  traveling  preachers,  rather  than 
pastors  having  the  oversight  of  single  churches;  and  hence  (S) 
that  their  work  consisted  mainly  in  "  paving  the  way  for  the 
more  systematic  work  of  the  pastors  and  teachers  who  watched 
over  and  trained  the  churches  when  founded." 

Note  3.  The  Older  Type  of  Modern  Evangelism.  Those 
who  are  at  all  acquainted  with  religious  movements  during 
recent  centuries  need  not  be  reminded  of  the  large  place  occu- 
pied by  those  mighty  rehgious  awakenings  which,  beginning 
with  Wycliffe  in  the  fourteenth  centtiry,  continued  imder 
Huss  in  the  fifteenth,  -under  Luther,  Calvin,  Knox,  and  a  host 
of  kindred  minds  in  the  sixteenth,  imder  the  Wesleys,  White- 
field,  Jonathan  Edwards,  and  others  in  the  eighteenth,  and 
under  Finney  and  Moody  in  the  nineteenth.  The  reahty  and 
power  of  these  signal  outpourings  of  the  Spirit  of  God  cannot 
be  questioned.  Under  the  preaching  of  consecrated  men  of 
God  chiu-ches  were  bom  again  and  whole  nations  were  stirred. 
Near  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century  all  Scotland  was  visited 
by  an  extraordinary  revival.  "  So  mightily  were  men  affected, 
that  the  whole  General  Assembly,  four  himdred  ministers  and 
elders,  while  renewing  their  solemn  league  and  covenant,  with 
sighs  and  groans  and  tears,  were  swayed  by  the  Spirit,  as  the 
leaves  of  the  forest  by  '  the  rushing  mighty  wind  '  of  the  driv- 
ing tempest."  So,  too,  in  1638,  at  the  signing  of  the  covenant, 
Livingston,  one  of  the  leading  preachers  of  the  time,  testifies, 
"  I  have  seen  more  than  a  thousand  persons,  all  at  once  lifting 
up  their  hands,  and  the  tears  falling  down  their  eyes  "  as  they 
vowed  to  be  the  Lord's.  Similar  results  have  been  witnessed 
along  all  the  succeeding  centimes. 

We  must  not  fail  to  note  that  while  these  awakenings  are 
in  most  cases  linked  with  great  names  in  the  history  of  the 
church,  yet  they  were  in  a  very  true  sense  spontaneous.  The 
people  were  ready  for  the  message,  and  when  this  came  it  met 
an  instantaneous  response.  Notice,  for  example,  that  wave  of 
spiritual  awakening  which  after  a  season  of  widespread  bank- 


Fourteen  Modcm  Evangelism  91 

ruptcy  began  in  New  York  City  in  1858,  and  spread  from  city 
to  city,  from  to^vn  to  to^^^l  imtil  within  the  space  of  a  single 
year  it  brought  into  the  churches  nearly  half  a  million  of  mem- 
bers from  aU  classes  in  the  commimity. 

Note  4.  The  New  Evangelism.  In  the  latter  part  of  the 
last  century  these  spontaneous  awakenings  seemed  to  be  ar- 
rested by  new  social  conditions.  The  civilized  world  was 
feeling  the  workings  of  new  industrial,  political,  and  reHgious 
movements  that  everywhere  were  breaking  away  from  the  old 
order.  To  bring  back  the  receding  tide  of  spiritual  life  a  new 
type  of  preachers  appeared,  called  "  evangelists."  They  went 
froiu^urch  to  .church,  from  city  to  city,  devoting  themselves 
to  the  exclusive  work  of  converting  men  from  sin  to  a  profession 
of  faith  in  Christ.  Many  of  these  men  by  their  unquestionable 
personal  consecration  and  by  long  exercise  of  a  peculiar  gift 
developed  extraordinary  power  in  evoking  a  response  to  their 
message.  Some  of  them  have,  or  stiU  are,  conducting  cam- 
paigns that  have  brought  blessings  to  great  multitudes.  Often 
thousands  could  not  gain  admission  to  the  largest  halls  and 
theatres.  Newspaper  and  billboard  advertising  are  freely  em- 
ployed. Sometimes  all  the  stores  and  offices  of  an  entire  city 
are  asked  to  close  for  two  or  three  hours  in  the  middle  of  the 
day,  and  the  request  whenever  made  has  been  granted. 

It  is  only  fair  to  say  that  in  some  instances,  notwithstanding 
the  most  elaborate  preparations,  the  results,  have  been  alto- 
gether disappointing,  not  only  in  lack  of  converts,  but  in  their 
depressing  effect  upon  normal  religious  work.  That  many 
positive  evils  go  with  professional  revival  work  even  under  the 
most  favorable  conditions,  is  so  weh  known  that  many  churches, 
entertaining  grave  doubts  of  its  value,  refuse  to  join  in  it. 

Note  5.  Continuous  Evangelism.  The  w^riter  remembers 
with  gratitude  the  church  with  which  he  imited  in  his  boyhood. 
It  had  been  served  for  twenty-eight  years  by  its  first  pastor, 
and  had  grown  to  be  the  largest  Protestant  chiu-ch  in  a  large 
city.  In  each  of  those  years  it  had  enjoyed  such  "  showers  of 
blessing  "  as  would  have  been  regarded  by  other  churches  as 
glorious  revivals,  but  which  represented  simply  its  normal 
condition.  There  are  many  churches  that  do  not  encourage 
spasmodic  religious  excitement,  but  that  nevertheless  have 
constant  accessions  to  their  membership.  Especially  is  this 
the  case  in  rituaHstic  churches  whose  membership  is  recruited 


92  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°" 

chiefly  through  catechetical  instruction  of  the  young.  More 
and  more  churches  of  all  names  are  finding  that  revival  methods 
must  be  supplemented,  if  not  superseded,  by  slow  painstaking 
instruction  in.  Christian  ti~uth  and  training  in  Christian  service ; 
that  a  momentary  emotional  conversion  under  external  pressure 
is  likely  to  lapse  into  a  less  impressionable  state  when  the 
emotion  has  spent  its  force;  and  that  the  most  healthy  and 
satisfying  condition  of  church  growth  is  one  like  that  of  the 
church  in  Jerusalem,  when  "  the  Lord  added  to  them  day  by 
day  those  that  were  saved." 

The  churches  that  increase  by  continuous  evangelism  are 
invariably  those  that  place  the  most  emphasis  on  personal 
evangelism.  Individual  work  with  individuals  is  the  most 
potent  means  of  winning  men  into  the  kingdom.  It  was 
Christ's  own  method.  It  was  the  way  in  which  he  won  John, 
Andrew,  and  Philip,  and  the  way  in  which  they  in  turn  won 
James,  Peter,  and  Nathanael  (Jo.  1 :  35-50).  Personal  evangel- 
ism won  Nicodemus,  and  the  woman  at  the  well  (Jo.  3:  1-15; 
4:5-26).  The  contact  of  mind  with  mind,  the  sympathetic 
human  touch,  is  always  more  effective  than  the  eloquence  that 
sways  the  crowd  for  a  moment. 

Note  6.    Where   Churches   Get  Most  of  their  Members. 

One  cannot  safely  say  that  the  old-fashioned  revival  has  ceased 
to  be  effective.  Great  popular  movements  are  still  witnessed  in 
industrial,  political  and  social  life.  The  time  will  probably 
never  come  when  the  human  mind  ceases  to  be  responsive  to 
those  obscure  physical  or  mental  forces  which  in  all  ages  have 
stirred  communities  and  nations.  But  we  may  be  sure  that  any 
waves  of  religious  emotions  that  may  sweep  over  the  country 
in  the  future  will  differ  widely  from  those  of  the  past.  Men  are 
coming  to  recognize  the  fact  that  imiting  with  a  church  under 
the  stimulus  of  an  overpowering  emotion,  a  sudden  fear  of  hell 
fire,  or  an  unusual  experience,  as  a  vision  or  a  dream,  is  not  the 
surest  evidence  of  a  genuine  conversion.  This  must  be  looked 
for  in  a  deep,  intelligent,  and  permanent  sense  of  obligation  to 
God  and  to  one's  fellows  that  reveals  itself  in  daily  conduct,  and 
which  is  developed  by  instruction  and  training.  Hence  the 
Sunday  school  will  more  than  ever  come  to  be  recognized  as 
the  training  school  of  the  church;  not  merely  as  a  stepping-stone 
to  "  conversion,"  or  **  decision  "  day,  but  as  a  place  for  soul 
culture,  a  place  where  the  young  grow  up  in  the  sunshine  of 


po^^i««n  Modern  Evangelism  93 

divine  love,  and  are  established  in  those  habits  of  right  thinking 
and  acting  which  prepare  them  for  church  membership  and  train 
them  for  self-expression  in  Christian  service.  The  church  of 
the  future  will  be  the  one  that  with  the  utmost  zeal  and  intelli- 
gence imparts  a  wise  Christian  nurture  to  its  children.  Pos- 
sibly, though  we  are  slow  to  see  it,  this  awakening  of  the  church 
to  the  importance  of  the  religious  education  of  the  young  may 
be  the  beginning  of  the  greatest  revival  the  church  has  ever 
known. 

While  an  increasing  and  wise  emphasis  is  placed  on  the 
Stmday  school  as  a  means  for  winning  and  training  the  yotmg 
for  lives  of  Christian  faith  and  service,  it  cannot  wholly  take 
the  place  of  evangelism,  which  aims  also  to  reach  adult  sinners, 
and  to  impress  adult  indifference.  If  evangelism  is  wisely  em- 
ployed, it  will  continue  to  be  in  the  future,  as  in  the  past,  a 
most  valuable  means  for  arousing  the  attention  of  the  commu- 
nity to  the  importance  of  obedience  to  Christ's  commands  and 
to  His  claims  on  the  personal  life. 

ADDITIONAL   READING   REFERENCES. 

{1)  Coe :  The  Religion  of  a  Mature  Mind,  pp.  255-290.  {2)  Dnimmond : 
The  New  Evangelism,  pp.  3-59.  {3)  Stelzle:  Christianity's  Storm  Center, 
pp.  192-227.  (4)  Gladden:  The  Christian  Pastor,  pp.  378^00.  (5) 
Strong:  The  Challenge  of  the  City,  pp.  24:1-27 Q.  (6)  Jefferson:  Building  a 
Church.     (7)  Black:  Building  a  Working  Church. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  To  what  extent  and  in  what  sense  should  all  preaching  be  evangelistic? 

2.  Mention  some  ways  by  which  the  influence  of  the  church  can  be 
brought  to  bear  on  the  community. 

3.  What  are  the  most  effective  ways  of  winning  men  to  Christ? 

4.  TeE  of  some  ways  by  which  the  Sunday  school  may  become  a  fruitful 
source  of  strength  to  the  church. 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  How  does  an  evangelist  differ  from  a  pastor? 


2.  What  is  meant  by  evangelism? 


3.  What  seems  to  have  been  the  work  of  evangelists  in  the  early  church? 


94  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

4.  Mention  some  of  the  great  revivals  that  have  occurred  during  the 
last  few  centuries. 


5.  Describe  some  of  the  effects  attending  them. 


6.  Mention  some  conspicuous  features  of  the  old-time  revival. 


7.  What  are  some  of  the  distinctive  characteristics  of  the  new  evangel- 
ism? 


8.  Mention  some  better  ways  of  recruiting  the  membership  of  churches 
than  by  revivals. 


9.  What  churches  are  most  likely  to  receive  constant  additions  to  their 
membership? 


10.  What  is  the  supreme  duty  of  the  church  to-day  in  buiding  up  a 
conquering  church  for  the  future? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  WITH  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Describe,  so  far  as  you  are  able,  some  revival  work  of  which  you  have 
had  personal  knowledge ;  note  especially  how  it  began,  the  means  by  which 
it  was  carried  on,  whether  or  not  an  evangelist  was  employed,  the  immediate 
results  in  additions  to  the  church,  and  the  ulterior  effects,  such  as  the 
staying  quality  of  the  new  members,  and  the  infiuenc'e  on  the  general  life 
of  the  church. 

2.  What  is  the  attitude  of  your  own  church  toward  revivals? 

3.  Among  the  churches  with  which  you  are  acquainted,  can  you  mention 
one  that  enjoys  a  fairly  steady  accession  to  its  membership?  If  so,  what 
are  the  means  employed? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Why  are  we  not  seeing  more  old-fashioned  revivals  now? 

2.  Which  is  likely  to  be  the  more  effective  way  of  extending  the  kingdom 
of  God,  through  revivals  or  through  the  religious  education  of  children? 


P'f^''»  Holding  the  Converts  95 

Lesson  15.    HOLDING  THE   CONVERTS. 

Scripture  Reading:  Abiding  in  the  Son  and.  in  the  Father. 
1  John  2:  18-29. 

Note  1.     Why    Churches    Fail    to    Hold    Their    Converts. 

While  this  problem  confronts  all  churches  in  some  degree,  it  is 
particularly  acute  in  those  that  rely  chiefly  on  revival  methods 
for  additions  to  the  church  membership.  Indeed,  among  those 
pastors  who  still  favor  revivalism  the  conviction  prevails  that 
if  only  twenty-five  per  cent  of  the  converts  "  hold  out,"  special 
campaigns  for  souls  are  weU  w^orth  while.  Undeniably,  the 
winning  of  a  single  soul  is  worth  all  the  effort  it  costs.  But 
the  question  is  one  related  not  merely  to  the  one  soul  saved,  but 
to  the  ninety  and  nine  who  drift  away  into  a  state  less  susceptible 
to  impressions  than  before  they  were  swept  into  the  church 
on  a  wave  of  religious  excitement. 

What  are  some  of  the  causes  that  lead  to  this  falling  away? 
In  the  first  place,  a  church  that  is  suffering  from  a  low  state  of 
spirituaHty,  and  that  needs  to  be  galvanized  into  a  semblance 
of  life  by  a  revivalist  is  in  no  condition  to  care  for  a  sudden 
inflow  of  converts.  Nobody  has  been  trained  to«do  that  kind 
of  work.  The  older  members  are  themselves  lacking  in  those 
experiences  which  will  enable  them  to  be  of  assistance  to  others 
in  developing  a  sturdy,  steady,  fruitful  Christian  life,  and 
so  the  newcomers  are  left  to  their  own  devices.  Secondly, 
conversions  induced  by  emotional  excitement  are  more  likely 
to  prove  evanescent  than  those  based  on  intelligent  and  con- 
scientious convictions.  Their  S3mibol  is  the  seed  "  that  fell 
upon  the  rocky  places,  where  they  had  not  much  earth:  and 
straightway  they  sprang  up,  because  they  had  no  deepness  of 
earth:  and  when  the  sun  was  risen,  they  were  scorched;  and 
because  they  had  no  root  they  withered  away  "  (Mat.  13:  5,  6). 
Thirdly,  the  mistaken  yet  widely  prevailing  notion  that  church 
membership  means  personal  gain  rather  than  service;  that  the 
church  is  mainly  "  an  ark  of  safety  rather  than  an  army  of 
occupation  ";  that  the  pastor  is  the  only  person  in  the  church 
from  whom  consecrated  Christian  work  is  to  be  expected. 
The  prevalence  of  such  misconceptions  tends  to  make  the 
church  tie  very  weak.  When  it  becomes  merely  nominal,  it  is 
easily  broken  entirely. 

Note  2.  The  Importance  of  the  Problem.  One  of  the  most 
serious  obstacles  in  the  way  of  holding  the  converts  is  the  general 


96  The  Modern  Church  ^^'^^^ 

failure  on  the  part  of  the  churches  to  see  that  this  problem  is 
really  greater  than  that  of  getting  them.  Time,  thought, 
prayer,  and  money  are  expended  in  enlisting  recruits  for  the 
army  that  is  to  win  the  world  for  Christ,  while  little  or  no 
thought  or  effort  is  spent  in  drilling  them  to  become  effective 
soldiers.  It  sometimes  seems  as  if  the  churches  regarded  their 
work  as  practically  ended,  instead  of  only  begun,  when  they 
have  entered  a  convert's  name  on  the  church  register.  A 
striking  illustration  of  this  tendency  is  to  be  seen  in  any  large 
theological  library.  Books  devoted  to  revival  work,  to  elabo- 
rate schemes  for  reaching  the  unchurched  multitudes,  to  bring- 
ing the  children  of  the  Simday  school  into  church  membership, 
may  be  counted  by  the  score,  whereas  diligent  search  may  not 
reveal  a  single  volume,  or  perhaps  not  even  a  single  chapter, 
devoted  to  the  specific  task  of  holding  the  converts.  That  the 
problem  is  one  of  vast  importance  every  one  is  ready  to  admit. 
In  view,  however,  of  the  widespread  reliance  on  emotional 
rather  than  educational  methods  in  wmning  converts,  many 
thoughtful  pastors  have  become  well-nigh  hopeless  of  devising 
an  effective  remedy. 

Note  3.  Training  the  Church.  A  remedy  to  be  effective 
must  be  adapted  to  the  conditions  which  it  is  designed  to  com- 
bat. So  long,  for  example,  as  the  origin  and  spread  of  yellow 
fever  were  not  understood,  efforts  to  check  its  progress  were 
ineffective  because  misdirected.  Attention  was  called  in  Note 
1,  above,  to  some  reasons  why  churches  frequently  fail  to  hold 
their  converts.  Primarily  they  fail  because  they  are  in  no 
condition  to  care  for  converts.  Every  form  of  life  if  it  is  to 
survive  must  have  an  environment  congenial  to  its  nature. 
How  many  churches  are  prepared  to  nourish,  stimulate,  and 
develop  a  newly  begotten  spiritual  life?  A  revival -may  kindle 
a  little  spiritual  warmth  and  ferA^or,  but  when  the  special  effort 
is  ended,  many  a  church  gradually  slips  back  into  a  dull,  cold, 
formal,  half -dead  state  that  nips  like  an  arctic  blast  the  budding 
spiritual  life  and  enthusiasm  of  converts. 

Evidently  the  first  and  essential  condition  for  the  holding  of 
converts  is  the  development  of  a  warm,  cheerful,  and  active 
church  life  not  merely  during  a  brief  revival,  but  as  a  normal 
state.  This  can  be  accomplished  only  by  slow  and  patient  work 
with  the  church  itself.  The  pastor  and  those  who  really  care 
for  its  welfare  must  combine  their  efforts  to  kindle  a  general  and 


^'/'^^«  Holding  the  Converts  97 

genuine  'interest  in  religious  or  social  work.  A  church  trans- 
formed from  a  self -centered,  cheerless,  formal  organization  into 
an  institution  teeming  with  life,  love,  enthusiasm,  actixity, 
will  not  only  do  its  own  evangelistic  work  in  the  most  effective 
way,  but  will  be  in  a  spiritual  state  to  welcome  converts  and 
care  for  them  as  tenderly  and  thoughtfully  as  a  babe  is  cared 
for  in  a  loving  family.  Where  a  church  realizes  its  obligations 
to  the  changing  social  order,  and  seeks  in  some  measure  to 
meet  these  obligations,  there  will  be  no  lack  of  work,  of  a  more 
ennobling  and  stimulating  character  than  that  which  begins  and 
ends  mth  socials,  suppers,  entertainments,  fairs,  and  similar 
devices  that  too  often  absorb  the  energies  of  the  chiu-ch. 

Note  4.  Training  the  New  Members.  Mtdtitudes  of  church 
members  become  indifferent  and  useless,  or  drift  away,  because 
they  have  nothing  to  do.  No  specific  tasks  have  been  assigned 
to  them  with  the  expectation  that  they  are  to  do  them  without 
fail.  A  pastor  who  does  a  single  stroke  of  work  in  a  church 
that  he  can  get  any  one  else  to  do  is  not  doing  the  best  thing  for 
the  church.  Unquestionably  it  is  often  easier  to  do  a  thing 
oneself  than  to  get  another  to  do  it,  but  the  extra  effort  required 
is  precisely  the  kind  of  service  that  is  needed  to  develop  the 
strength  of  the  church.  Many  churches  seem  to  expect  of 
their  members  only  a  little  work  in  the  Sunday  school  or  speak- 
ing in  the  prayer  meeting — services  for  which  only  a  small  part 
of  the  membership  is  qualified.  An  ideal  working  church  is 
one  in  which  the  burdens  are  carried  not  by  the  pastor  alone, 
assisted  by  a  few  members,  but  where  so  far  as  possible  every  one 
does  a  part. 

All  training  of  new  members  should  rest  on  a  clear  discrimina- 
tion between  the  needs  of  children  who  as  a  result  of  nurture  in 
Christian  homes  and  in  Sunday  schools  naturally  pass  into  the 
larger  family  life  of  the  church,  and  of  adults  w^ho  are  brought 
in  by  conversion,  in  many  instances  as  the  result  of  evangelistic 
work.  In  the  former  case  the  children  are  growing  up  in  the 
atmosphere  of  the  church,  they  are  accustomed  to  Bible  study, 
and  are  familiar  with  many  of  the  ordinary  forms  of  Christian 
service.  After  having  decided  for  Christ,  and  been  received 
into  membership,  they  naturally  continue  along  the  same  lines 
of  training,  establishing  habits  that  will  grow  stronger  with 
each  passing  year.  The  boys  and  girls  instinctively  gravitate 
toward  their  proper  places  in  the  yoimg  people's  societies, 


98  The  Modern  Church  ^"^o« 

clubs,  or  associations  specially  organized  for  training  in  church 
work,  and  as  they  grow  older  find  themselves  placed  in  posi- 
tions of  responsibility  on  important  committees.  Under  such 
circumstances  the  problem  of  holding  the  new  members  in 
loyal  attachment  to  the  church,  while  requiring  close  attention, 
is  by  no  means  difficult. 

The  case  is  different  when  adults  are  converted  and  brought 
into  fellowship  with  the  church,  and  especially  so  when  the 
conversion  takes  place  as  a  result  of  the  work  of  a  revivalist, 
and  a  sudden  awakening  of  religious  feeling.  Here  conversion 
means  an  abrupt  breaking  up  of  the  habits  of  mature  life.  Un- 
less new  habits  are  promptly  established,  the  old  quickly 
reassert  themselves.  When  the  transient  eniotion  has  passed 
away,  the  former  life  comes  back  in  full  tide  and  the  new  con- 
verts, instead  of  becoming  valuable  additions  to  the  church 
and  useful  workers  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  only  help  to  swell 
the  number  of  those  who,  having  a  namie  to  live,  are  dead. 
The  only  way  to  hold  adult  converts  is  by  enlisting  their  interest 
as  quickly  as  possible  in  the  work  of  the  church,  and  by  giving 
them  all  possible  assistance  in  forming  habits  that  are  essential 
to  the  strength  and  permanency  of  the  Christian  life.  They 
must  be  made  to  see  the  duty  and  privilege  of  attending  the 
public  worship  and  devotional  meetings  of  the  church,  which,  of 
course,  should  be  attractive,  spiritually  uplifting  and  socially 
refreshing.  They  must  be  introduced  at  once  into  one  of  the 
adult  classes  whose  members  will  exercise  a  sympathetic  watchful 
care  over  them.  There  must  be  awakened  in  them  a  spirit  of 
prayer,  a  love  for  the  Bible,  a  liking  for  the  society  of  Christian 
people,  and  an  interest  in  Christian  work  by  immediately  giving 
them  something  to  do.  Where  this  is  done  there  will  be  less 
difficulty  in  holding  them,  but  to  do  this  will  tax  the  ingenuity, 
patience,  and  grace  of  pastor  and  people.  The  task,  though 
difficult,  is  by  no  means  impossible.  What  is  needed  is  a  sense 
of  personal,  brotherly  responsibility,  tact,  persistence,  and  lov- 
ing human  S3mipathy.  There  are  few  hearts  that  will  not 
respond  to  such  influences.  These  are  the  ties  that  bind  the 
human  family  into  a  sweet  concord  and  unity,  and  give  God's 
children  a  foretaste  of  heavenly  relationships. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Washington  Gladden  in  The  Christian  Pastor  has  a  chapter  (XII)  on 
the  "  Social  Life  of  the  Church  "  that  bears  in  many  ways  on  the  problem 
of  holding  the  converts.     Still  more  helpful  is  the  chapter  XIX  on  "  En- 


^'■^'^^«  Holding  the  Converts  99 

listing  the  Membership."  {£)  George  W.  Mead:  Modern  Methods  in 
Church  Work,  chapter  V  on  "  Personal  Work,"  has  good  suggestions  on 
keeping  the  members  interested  and  employed.  (S)  J.  M.  Hoppin:  Pas- 
toral Theology,  has  excellent  advice  on  how  a  pastor  may  help  young 
converts,  pp.  475-480. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  WHiat  is  the  specific  work  of  an  evangelist? 

2.  Mention  some  points  at  which  the  new  evangelism  differs  from  the 
old. 

3.  How  can  continuous  evangelism  be  promoted? 

4.  What  place  is  religious  education  likely  to  occupy  in  the  church  of 
the  future? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE  LESSON. 

1.  Suppose  that  a  certain  evangelist,  if  he  were  invited  to  conduct  a 
revival,  would  have  one  hundred  conversions,  only  fifty  of  which  would 
"  stick  ";  would  you  think  it  wise  to  invite  him? 


2.  What  are  some  of  the  chief  reasons  why  churches  do  not  hold  their 
converts? 


3.  What  is  the  attitude  of  many  churches  to  this  problem? 


4.  What  must  be  the  condition  of  a  church  that  successfully  cares  for 
its  converts? 


5.  How  can  a  church  be  trained  to  hold  new  converts? 


6.  What  is  the  effect  on  a  church  of  a  largely  idle  membership? 


7.  What  is  the  best  way  of  holding  young  converts? 


100  The  Modern  Chtirch  ^"^"'^ 

8.  What  different  methods  must  be  employed  with  adults? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  methods  are  used  in  your  church  for  holding  the  converts? 

2.  To  what  extent  are  they  successful? 

3.  What  better  or  additional  methods  can  you  suggest? 

QUESTIONS   FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

1.  Can  churches  reasonably  be  expected  to  hold  all  their  converts? 

2.  How  do  the  most  successful  churches  that  you  know  of  hold  their 
converts? 


Lesson  16.    THE  MEMBER  WHO  MOVES  AWAY. 

Scripture  Reading:  Jeremiah's  Letter  to  the  Exiles.     Jer.  29:  1-7. 

Note  1.  Church  Membership  as  Affected  by  Modern 
Migratory  Habits.  Time  was  when  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  rural  population  of  Europe  was  attached  to  the  land  almost 
as  firmly  as  the  houses  or  trees.  Even  free  families  continued 
to  reside  in  the  same  abode  or  neighborhood  for  generations. 
This  is  still  a  frequent  occurrence  outside  the  cities.  In  this 
country  the  attraction  of  newly  opened  territories  and  the 
increasing  facilities  for  travel  have  made  such  fixedness  of 
abode  comparatively  rare.  In  the  cities  this  passion  for  moving 
has  been  stimulated  by  the  inability  of  most  families  to  own 
houses,  by  the  erection  of  innumerable  apartment  houses  in 
which  families  occupy  a  few  rooms  for  a  short  time,  and  by  the 
ease  with  which  removals  take  place.  The  result  is  such  an 
incessant  shifting  of  the  population  that  a  permanent  home 
becomes  an  exception  rather  than  the  rule. 

The  churches  are  suffering  greatly  from  this  migratory  habit. 
Less  harm  would  be  done  if  a  member  or  family  moving  away 
would  ask  for  a  letter  of  dismission  to  the  nearest  church  of  like 
faith  and  order  in  the  new  home,  and  present  the  letter  promptly. 
The  fact  is,  however,  that  many  are  grossly  negligent  in  this 
respect.  Not  only  do  they  fail  to  transfer  their  membership, 
but  they  do  not  even  inform  the  pastor  that  they  are  going  to 


•^■'^'^^"  The  Member  Who  Moves  Away  101 

move  or  where.  Sorae times  it  is  possible  to  trace  them  for  a 
time.  Frequently  the  church  loses  track  of  them  entirely. 
After  a  few  years  their  names  are  erased  from  the  church  Hst  or 
placed  on  a  suspended  roll.  How  serious  this  problem  has 
become  may  be  judged  from  the  following  figures  taken  from 
the  year  books  of  leading  Protestant  bodies  in  this  coimtry  for 
1912: 

Erased  or  placed 


Denomination. 

Total  net  membership. 

Non-residents. 

on  suspended  roll. 

Baptist, 

5,454,198 

No  report 

102,203 

Congregational, 

738,761 

111,376 

25,791 

Presbyterian, 

1,380,058 

No  report 

51,266 

Non-resident  members,  except  in  rare  instances,  contribute 
nothing  to  the  support  of  the  home  church.  They  are  usually 
inactive  in  the  places  where  they  live,  and  this  inactivity  con- 
tinues imtil,  through  another  removal  or  through  persistent 
failure  to  communicate  with  the  home  church,  their  names  are 
dropped  from  the  roll  and  they  are  lost  to  the  denomination. 

Note  2.  Instruction  of  Resident  Members.  Instructions 
regarding  the  non-resident  problem  should  begin  before  the 
members  slip  away  to  other  fields.  The  importance  to  each 
member  and  to  the  church  of  strict  attention  to  the  following 
duties  should  be  clearly  presented  at  least  once  a  year.  Where 
an  annual  roll  caU  is  held  this  is  an  opportime  time  to  emphasize 
them: 

{1)  That  a  member  moA'ing  from  one  place  to  another  within 
the  parish  should  promptly  give  the  pastor,  or  the  clerk  of  the 
church,  his  new  address.  Failtire  to  do  this  causes  the  pastor 
much  loss  of  time  in  going  to  the  old  address,  and  in  tracing  the 
member  to  his  new"  home.  Furthermore,  important  communica- 
tions from  the  chiurch  are  likely  to  go  astray.  A  postal  card 
with  the  necessary  information  will  save  much  time,  trouble, 
atid  vexation. 

{2)  That  a  member  moving  to  another  commtmity  should  at 
the  earliest  opporttmity  send  his  new  address  to  the  pastor  or 
clerk  of  the  home  chtirch. 

{S)  That  a  member  moving  to  a  place  where  there  is  a  church 
of  the  same  faith  and  order  should  lose  no  time  transferring  his 
membership  to  it.  If  for  sufficient  reason  he  prefers  to  retain 
his  connection  with  the  old  church,  he  should  understand  that 
removal  does  not  cancel  his  'obligation  to  contribute  regularly 


102  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

to  its  support,  and  to  communicate  with  it  at  least  once  a  year. 

(4)  That  a  member  moving  to  a  place  where  there  is  no  church 
of  the  same  faith  and  order  should  endeavor  to  find  a  temporary 
home  in  some  other  church  in  the  commtmity,  and  to  make  him- 
self helpful  in  the  common  work  of  fmlhering  the  interests  of 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

If  these  duties  were  faithfully  impressed  on  the  members, 
especially  of  city  churches,  while  they  are  still  tinder  the  direct 
care  of  the  home  church,  far  less  trouble  would  be  experienced 
in  connection  with  the  member  who  moves  away.  In  small 
churches  in  towns  or  villages  the  fact  that  a  member  is  about  to 
leave  the  community  is  usually  so  well  known  that  the  pastor 
has  ample  time  to  give  personal  directions  on  these  points. 

Note  3.    What  to  do  for  Members  Who  are  Moving  Away. 

A  pastor  who  learns  that  a  member  of  his  church  is  about  remov- 
ing to  another  commtmity  will  naturally  make  an  early  call  to 
express  regret  at  losing  him  and  to  inform  himself  in  regard  to 
the  religious  conditions  in  the  new  home.  If  there  is  a  church 
of  the  same  denomination  in  the  vicinity,  he  will  ascertain  the 
name  of  the  pastor,  and  lu-ge  the  departing  member  to  make 
himself  known  to  him  as  soon  as  possible  after  his  arrival.  A 
letter  of  introduction  will  encourage  him  to  do  this.  Even  if 
he  is  uncertain  whether  he  will  stay  permanently,  he  should  be 
urged  to  apply  for  a  letter  of  dismission,  so  that  he  may  have  a 
church  home  while  he  remains.  The  transfer  to  another 
church  is  easily  made  if  he  finds  himself  again  obliged  to  move. 

Immediately  after  the  departing  member  has  gone  the 
pastor  should  send  his  address  to  the  pastor  of  the  nearest 
church  of  the  same  denomination,  so  that  he  may  call  and  by  a 
friendly  welcome  facilitate  the  transfer  of  membership. 

If  there  is  no  church  of  the  same  denomination  in,  or  within 
reach  of,  the  new  home,  the  removing  member  should  be  urged 
not  to  make  this  an  excuse  for  lapsing  into  a  state  of  inactivity, 
but  to  identify  himself  with  some  religious  organization,  and  in 
the  meantime  to  keep  up  loyal  relations  with  his  home  church, 
as  suggested  in  Note  1.  In  this  case  it  is  also  well  to  send  his 
name  and  address  to  the  denominational  overseer  of  the  district 
in  which  he  settles.  A  number  of  such  names  may  presently 
become  the  nucleus  of  a  vigorous  church. 

•^c  long  as  no  charges  have  been  preferred  against  a  church 
member  he  is  regarded  as  in  "  good  and  regular  standing  "  and 


■^^■^■^^^«  The  Member  Who  Moves  Away  103 

entitled  to  a  letter  of  dismission.  This  should  be  granted  with- 
out delay,  but  valid  only  for  a  definitely  limited  period,  and 
should  be  addressed  to  the  church  with  which  he  proposes  to 
imite.  Usually  such  a  letter  is  sent  directly  to  the  person  ap- 
plying for  it.  Because  sometimes  there  is  a  temptation  to 
retain  it  indefinitely,  some  churches  prefer  to  send  it  to  the 
pastor  of  the  new  church. 

"It  is  the  custom  in  some  churches  to  grant  a  letter  that 
states  that  the  name  will  be  retained  unless  word  is  received 
that  the  letter  has  been  used  within  the  six  months.  Experience 
shows  that  this  is  a  bad  custom,  as  many  names  are  retained 
that  never  should  be.  It  tends  also  to  make  members  negligent 
in  using  letters,  as  they  think  their  names  will  be  retained  in  the 
old  church  anyway."  A  better  way  is  to  have  it  distinctly 
stated  in  the  letter  that  the  name  is  dropped  as  soon  as  the 
letter  of  dismission  has  been  granted. 

Note  4.  Keeping  Up  Communications  with  Non-Resident 
Members.  After  all  ordinary  means  have  been  exhausted  to 
induce  absent  members  to  unite  with  a  church  in  their  neighbor- 
hood, it  will  be  found  that  in  a  large  number  of  cases  these 
efforts  are  vain.  Year  after  year  the  churches  carry  such  names 
as  non-residents.  A  study  of  the  statistics  of  any  denomination 
will  show  a  surprisingly  large  absentee  membership.  How  to 
keep  in  touch  with  them  is  not  always  an  easy  matter.  In 
fact,  many  churches  make  little  or  no  effort  to  do  so.  This  is 
not  right.  So  long  as  they  remain  members  of  the  church  it 
owes  certain  duties  to  them,  whether  they  are  faithful  to  their 
obligations  or  not. 

Once  a  year  those  whose  address  is  known  should  be  written 
to,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  their  spiritual  welfare,  of 
soliciting  aid  for  the  support  of  the  church  and  its  benevolences, 
and  of  urging  them  to  unite  with  some  local  church.  If  this 
is  done  two  or  three  weeks  before  the  annual  roll  call,  answers 
will  often  be  received  that  will  be  of  interest  to  the  members  at 
home  and  that  may,  therefore,  be  read  in  public.  The  fact 
that  the  absentees  are  remembered,  and  that  the  church  is 
interested  in  their  welfare,  may  keep  them  from  falling  into  a 
state  of  entire  inactivity. 

Note  5.    Members  of  Other  Churches  on  One's  Own  Field. 

So  far  only  those  members  have  been  considered  who  have 


104  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

moved  away  from  one's  own  church.  What  we  desire  and 
expect  other  churches  to  do  for  them,  we  should  be  ready  to  do 
for  members  of  other  churches  who  have  moved  into  our  own 
neighborhood.  A  careful  canvass  will  sometimes  reveal  a 
surprisingly  large  number  of  persons  who  have  not  made  them- 
selves known  to  the  church  with  which  they  are  affiliated. 
The  pastor  of  a  large  and  influential  church  in  a  wealthy  suburb 
of  Boston  discovered  recently  over  fifty  families  living  within 
easy  reach  of  his  church  who  claimed  membership  in  other 
churches  of  the  same  faith.  Only  a  few  of  them  could  be  per- 
suaded to  transfer  their  membership.  Most  of  them  frankly 
admitted  that  they  wanted  **  a  rest  from  church  work."  Many 
pastors  could  doubtless  tell  of  similar  discouraging  experiences. 
Three  things  can  be  done:  have  other  tactful  and  friendly 
church  members  call  besides  the  pastor;  offer  to  write  to  their 
home  church  for  letters  of  dismission;  and,  if  this  fails,  get  the 
pastox  of  the  other  church  to  use  his  influence  in  having  them 
resume  active  membership. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

The  literature  relating  to  the  non-resident  member  problem  is  for  the 
most  part  confined  to  pastor's  manuals,  church  directories,  church  disci- 
pline, and  occasional  articles  in  religious  periodicals  and  newspapers. 
Washington  Gladden's  Parish  Problems  has  a  paper  entitled  "  Dropped 
Stitches  "  that  deals  with  the  problem  briefly.  Other  volumes  on  pastoral 
duties  occasionally  devote  a  paragraph  to  the  subject. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  chief  reasons  why  churches  fail  to  hold  their 
converts? 

2.  Why  is  the  holding  of  the  converts  deserving  of  more  attention  than 
is  usually  given  to  it? 

3.  How  should  churches  be  trained  to  care  for  new  members? 

4.  What  kind  of  care  is  needed  by  young  converts? 

5.  What  different  care  is  needed  by  adults? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE   LESSON. 

1.  What  modern  social  conditions  have  largely  created  the  non-resident 
membership  problem? 


2.  How  do  these  conditions  bring  about  a,  serious  loss  of  membership: 


six'een  j/^^  Member  Who  Moves  Away  105 

3.  Why  are  non-resident  members  seldom  of  value  to  any  church? 

4.  Mention  four  points  on  which  resident  members  should  be  instructed. 


5.  What  should  be  done  with  members  moving  into  places  where  there  are 
churches  of  the  same  faith? 


6.  What  should  be  done  when  there  are  no  such  churches? 


7.  What  methods  are  usually  followed  in  transferring  members  from  one 
church  to  another? 


8.  How  should  churches  keep  in  touch  with  their  non-resident  members? 


9.  What  should  be  done  for  members  of  other  churches  on  one's  ov/n 
field? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  many  resident  members  has  your  own  church? 

2.  How  many  non-resident? 

3.  How  do  these  figures  compare  with  the  averages  in  your  own  State? 

4.  How  does  your  church  keep  in  touch  with  its  absentee  members? 

5.  What  means  are  used  to  keep  the  number  of  absentee  members  as 
small  as  possible? 

6.  How  many  church  members  are  there  in  your  community  not  at 
present  actively  affiHated  with  any  church? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  How  c^n  resident  members  be  made  Helpful  in  looking  after  absentees? 

2.  What  is  our  church  doing  to  get  hold  of  absentee  members  who  live 
in  our  community? 


106  The  Modern  Church  ^«^°" 

Lesson  17.    WOMAN'S  WORK  IN  THE  CHURCH. 

Scripture  Reading:  Paul's  Faithful  Female  Coworkers. 
Rom.  16:  1-4,  12;  Phil.  4:  2,  3. 

Note  1.    Prominence  of  Women  in  the  Early  Church.    The 

teachings  of  Jesus,  combined  with  His  gracious  conduct  toward 
women  of  every  class,  marked  a  practical  revolution  in  the 
estimate  and  treatment  of  women.  From  the  first  they  were 
accorded  in  the  early  church  a  position  of  equality,  freedom,  and 
dignity,  that  meant  a  real  emancipation.  In  Paul's  letter  to 
the  Galatians  (3 :  28)  he  laid  down  the  principle  that  in  Christ 
there  can  be  no  distinction  between  male  and  female.  Women 
were  among  his  most  devoted  and  efficient  helpers  in  extending 
the  Gospel.  They  certainly  shared  equally  with  the  men  in 
the  extraordinary  experiences  of  the  Day  of  Pentecost  (Acts 
1:  14;  2:  1-4),  and  later  in  most  of  the  spiritual  gifts  exercised 
by  the  early  church.  When  Paul  ordered  the  Christian  women 
in  Corinth  to'"  keep  silence  in  the  churches  "  (1  Cor.  14:  34), 
this  was  clearly  a  temporary  and  local  prohibition  enforced  for 
the  sake  of  protecting  the  good  name  of  the  Christian  women 
from  even  a  suspicion  of  imm.odesty  in  a  city  notorious  for  its 
"  abysmal  profligacy."  Ever  since  Jesus  raised  the  daughter 
of  Jairus  with  the  tender  command,  "  Maiden,  arise,"  this  word 
has  symbolized  the  resurrection  of  woman  from  social  death 
under  the  uplifting  power  of  Christianity. 

Note  2.    Prominence  of  Women  in  the  Modem  Church. 

The  writer  some  years  ago  asked  the  pastor  of  an  adjoining 
Congregational  church,  "  Who  are  your  leading  men?  "  **  The 
leading  men  in  my  chiurch,"  was  the  reply,  "  are  all  women." 
The  answer,  so  far  from  being  a  mere  witticism,  accurately 
reflects  the  condition  in  the  majority  of  Protestant  churches  in 
this  coimtry  to-day.  The  men  may  carry  the  greater  part  of 
the  financial  burdens ;  but  so  far  as  religious  work  is  concerned, 
it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  a  great  number  of  churches 
would  cease  to  exist  but  for  the  efforts  of  the  faithful  Christian 
women  who  constitute  by  far  the  larger  part  of  their  member- 
ship. It  is  a  common  occurrence  to  find  two-thirds  or  three- 
quarters  of  a  congregation  composed  of  women.  Various  large 
religious  organizations,  especially  for  the  promotion  of  home  and 
foreign  missions,  are  conducted  wholly  by  women.  Every 
church  has  its  local  women's  societies  engaged  in  reHgious  and 
philanthropic  work  of  various  kinds.     It  can  be  confidently 


Seventeen  Womau's  Wofk  tu  the  Ckurck  107 

maintained  that  the  Christian  church  owes  more  to-day  for  its 
progress  and  strength  to  the  self-denying  labors,  the  consecrated 
talents,  and  the  imqtienchable  zeal  of  its  women  than  to  any 
other  human  agency.  Thousands  of  them  have  gone  as  mis- 
sionaries to  all  parts  of  the  world.  Thousands  more  are  work- 
ing at  home  as  specially  trained  pastor's  assistants,  church 
visitors,  and  deaconesses,  or  as  assistants  in  children's  aid 
societies,  rescue  leagues,  settlement  work,  and  hundreds  of 
similar  agencies  that  are  moved  by  the  spirit  of  Christ.  Most 
Sunday  school  teachers  are  women.  They  have  answered  joy- 
fully and  promptly  the  message,  "  The  Teacher  is  here,  and 
calleth  thee."  Indeed,  so  great  is  the  preponderance  of  women 
in  church  affairs  that  extensive  campaigns  for  men  have  been 
fovmd  necessary  to  restore,  if  possible,  some  semblance  of 
numerical  equality  and  efficiency. 

Note  3.  Woman^s  Work  for  Missions.  From  the  inception 
of  the  modem  missionary  movement  Christian  women  have 
been  among  its  most  active  and  liberal  supporters.  Not  satis- 
fied with  contributing  to  the  funds  of  the  general  missionary 
societies  of  their  several  denominations,  they  have  organized  in 
each  of  the  leading  Christian  bodies  independent  national 
societies.  These  societies  and  the  amounts  raised  by  them,  as 
reported  in  the  year  books  for  1912,  are  as  follows: 

Woman's  American  Baptist  Home  Missionary  Society  $179,787.32 

Woman's  American  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Society  194,501.02 

Woman's  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Societ}^  of  the  West       .  128,199.72 

Woman's  Home  Missionary  Federation  (Congregational)  about  300,000.00 

Woman's  Board  of  Missions  (Congregational)  192,458.94 

Woman's  Board  of  Missions  of  the  Interior  (Congregational)  125,369.98 

Woman's  Board  of  Missions  for  the  Pacific  (Congregational)  16,091.11 

Woman's  Home  Missionary  Society  (Methodist  Episcopal)  701,217,76 

Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society  (Methodist  Episcopal)  939,257.55 

Woman's  Board  of  Home  Missions  (Presbyterian)    \  -q,,  . „q  „„ 

Woman's  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  (Presbyterian)  J  oyb,48«.dy 

These  societies  cooperate  with  the  general  boards  or  societies 
of  their  respective  churches  and  assume  the  support  of  a  part  of 
the  work  which  they  carry  on.  They  collect  money  through 
branches,  auxiliaries,  mission  circles,  or  guilds,  in  the  local 
churches.  No  church  regards  itself  as  effectively  organized 
imtil  it  has  a  Wom^an's  Missionary  Society  of  some  kind,  and 
these  societies  are  usually  among  the  most  active  in  the  churches. 
The  work  actually  accomplished  by  them  may  be  fairly  gauged 


108  The  Modern  Church  ^^^son 

by  the  fact  that  the  Methodist  Episcopal  societies  alone  were 
reported  in  1912  as  sustaining  on  the  home  and  foreign  fields 
over  650  missionaries.  The  Baptist  societies  sustain  on  the 
home  field  173  missionaries,  and  on  the  foreign  field  217  mission- 
aries, 154  Bible  women,  and  648  schools. 

A  most  interesting  organization,  more  fully  developed  by  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  chiu-ch  than  any  other,  is  that  of  deacon- 
esses. The  work  done  by  them  in  this  coimtry  and  Europe 
(report  of  1912)  is  as  follows:  Endowments  and  property  clear 
of  debt,  $4,837,412;  licensed  deaconesses,  1360;  stations,  118; 
calls  of  all  kinds  made,  561,715;  nmnber  of  sick  nursed  in  hospi- 
tals and  homes,  32,894;  number  of  children  taught  in  industrial 
schools,  294,030;  in  Sunday  schools,  150,074; — all  carried  on  at 
an  expense  for  the  fiscal  year  of  $1,180,464. 

Note  4.  Woman's  Work  in  a  Local  Church.  A  church 
without  a  woman's  society  of  some  kind  is  like  a  ship  with 
part  of  its  sails  gone.  In  fact,  there  are  many  small  churches 
where  the  only  organization  outside  of  the  officers  of  the  church 
is  that  composed  of  Christian  women.  Usually  there  are 
several,  such  as  a  missionary  society  for  the  home  and  another 
for  the  foreign  field,  or  for  both  combined;  a  Woman's  Aid 
Society,  designed  to  assist  in  meeting  the  current  expenses  of 
the  local  church;  a  sewing  circle,  that  seeks  to  help  the  poor; 
and  committees  for  attending  to  special  departments  of  the 
church  work,  such  as  music,  flowers,  sociables,  etc.  As  the 
membership  increases  the  church  work  tends  to  become  more 
complex,  until  the  organizations  for  men  and  women,  for  chil- 
dren, youths,  and  adults,  become  so  numerous  as  to  demand 
some  sort  of  centralized  control. 

A  remarkably  complete  and  efficient  correlation  of  women's 
societies  is  that  worked  out  in  the  Eliot  Congregational  Church, 
Newton,  Mass.,  of  which,  by  permission,  an  accoimt  is  here 
given.  It  is  known  as  the  Woman's  Association.  It  aims  to 
enlist  the  active  or  sympathetic  interest  of  every  woman  in  the 
church;  the  membership  fee  is  made  small Xtwenty-five  cents) 
so  as  not  to  be  a  burden  to  any  one ;  sewing  and  missionary  meet- 
ings are  held  on  the  same  day  of  the  week;  knowledge  of  what 
each  department  is  doing  is  given  by  a  report  from  each,  read  at 
a  united  monthly  business  meeting;  sympathy  and  sociability 
are  promoted  by  thus  bringing  together  those  who  have  various 
interests  at  heart.     Tuesday  is  Woman's  Day.    All  who  are 


Sci^enieen  Womau's  Wovk  iu  the  Church  109 

able  come  at  two  o'clock  and  spend  an  hour  in  sewing,  after 
which  a  varied  program  is  presented.  The  first  Tuesday  in 
each  month  is  given  to  the  Business  Meeting;  the  second,  to 
Home  Mission;  the  third,  to  the  Home  Department;  the  fourth, 
to  Foreign  Missions;  and  the  occasional  fifth,  to  a  literary  or 
musical  entertainment. 

The  officers  of  the  association  comprise  a  president,  three 
vice-presidents,  a  recording  secretary,  a  corresponding  secretary, 
a  treasurer,  and  an  auditor. 

The  association  is  divided  into  four  departments :  {T)  Foreign 
Missions;  {2)  Home  Missions,  each  with  a  chairman,  assistant 
chairman,  secretary  and  treasurer;  {3)  Home,  aiming  "  to  help 
the  mothers  of  the  church  and  congregation  in  the  spiritual, 
educational  and  practical  duties  of  the  home";  (4)  Church 
Work,  composed  of  the  following  subcommittees:  (a)  Enter- 
tainment, having  charge  of  the  monthly  suppers,  and  other 
entertainments;  ih)  Work,  charged  with  purchasing  materials, 
preparing  the  sewing  for  the  regular  meetings,  and  having  over- 
sight of  missionary  boxes ;  {c)  Relief,  expected  to  aid  the  pastor 
in  visiting  and  providing  for  the  sick  and  needy;  {d)  Literary, 
responsible  for  programs  of  general  interest  when  such  are 
required;  {e)  Hospitality,  assigned  the  duty  of  welcoming  and 
caring  for  strangers ;  (/)  Library,  asked  to  secure,  circulate,  and 
care  for  best  and  latest  literature  for  the  departments;  (g) 
Finance,  "  who  shall  present  a  list  of  yearly  appropriations  and 
shall  devise  plans  for  securing  pledges  and  memberships"; 
{h)  House,  charged  with  care  of  table  linen  and  all  kitchen 
utensils. 

This  organization  reported  in  1912  two  hundred  and  sixty 
members.  It  is  described  with  considerable  fulness  in  order 
that  other  churches,  according  to  their  needs  and  as  may  be 
best  suited  to  their  conditions,  may  be  helped  by  it  to  unify 
the  many  organizations  that  sometimes  tend  to  overlap  or  to 
get  into  one  another's  way.  Above  all,  it  illustrates  forcibly 
the  prominent  and  legitimate  place  that  woman  has  won  for 
herself  in  local  churches  and  the  stimulus  imparted  by  her 
enthusiasm  and  devotion  to  all  its  activities. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Gladden:  The  Christian  Pastor,  pp.  289-312.  (2)  Mead:  Modern 
Methods  in  Church  Work,  pp.  200-206.  {3)  The  Year  Books  of  the  leading 
Protestant  denominations  furnish  the  completest  and  most  illuminating 


110  The  Modern  Church  ^"""^ 

survey  of  the  work  done  by  the  organized  efforts  of  Christian  women  in 
furthering  the  kingdom  of  God  at  home  and  abroad. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  How  is  church  membership  affected  by  the  rapidly  decreasing  num- 
ber of  permanent  homes? 

2.  In  view  of  present  migratory  habits,  what  duties  should  be  impressed 
on  church  members? 

3.  What  counsels  should  be  given  to  those  who  are  moving  away? 

4.  What  duties  does  a  church  owe  toward  its  absent  members? 

5.  What  course  should  it  pursue  toward  members  of  other  churches  on 
its  own  field? 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE   LESSON. 
1.  What  was  the  position  of  woman  in  the  early  church? 


2.  How   has   Christianity   affected    woman's   position   in    the   modern 
church? 


3.  How  is  magnitude  of  woman's  work  for  Christian  missions  shown? 


4.  How  are  the  vast  sums  contributed  by  women  to  home  and  foreign 
missions  obtained? 


5.  What  are  the  women  doing  for  the  support  of  missionaries? 


6.  Describe  the  work  of  the  deaconesses  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 


7.  What  are  some  of  the  more  common  forms  of  activity  shown  by 
women  in  local  churches? 


Eighteen  Youfig  People's  Societies:   History  111 

SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  does  the  number  of  female  members  in  your  church  compare 
with  the  number  of  males?     Procure  the  exact  figures. 

2.  What  is  the  relative  attendance  at  the  Sunday  morning  worship? 
Answer  by  actually  counting. 

3.  Name  the  several  women's  societie's  in  your  church. 

4.  What  did  they  contribute  last  year  to  home  missions?  What  to 
foreign? 

5.  What  work  are  the  women  of  your  church  doing  in  calling  on  stran- 
gers?    In  visiting  the  sick?     In  helping  the  poor? 

6.  What  would  you  regard  as  the  outlook  of  your  church  if  the  women 
were  removed? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  To  what  is  the  great  preponderance  of  women  in  modem  Protestant 
churches  due? 

2.  Would  the  establishment  of  an  order  of  women  (deaconesses,  or  sister- 
hoods) devoted  exclusively  to  the  furtherance  of  religious,  educational, 
and  philanthropic  work,  with  an  assured  support  for  life,  be  expedient 
in  all  Christian  bodies? 


Lesson  18.    YOUNG  PEOPLE'S   SOCIETIES:  HISTORY. 

Scripture  Reading:  God's  Spirit  Poured  Out  on  the  Young  as  Well  as 
the  Old.     Joel  2:  28-32. 

Note  1.    The  Waste  of  Youthful  Energy  in  the  Churches. 

The  enlistment  of  the  young  people  of  the  churches  in  active 
Christian  service  was  one  of  the  most  important  among  the 
many  remarkable  religious  movements  witnessed  dvuing  the 
last  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century.  No  efforts  had  been 
spared  to  win  them  to  decision  for  Christ  and  to  church 
membership,  but,  when  safely  within  the  church,  further  efforts 
for  the  development  of  their  religious  nature  and  for  their 
training  in  efficiency  and  usefulness  seem  to  have  been  largely 
neglected.  The  chiu*ches  virtually  said:  "  Now  that  you  have 
crossed  the  line  between  the  chin-ch  and  the  world,  you  must 
depend  on  your  own  efforts  for  the  cultivation  and  strengthen- 
ing of  your  spiritual  life.  Join  a  class  in  the  Simday  school, 
attend  the  Simday  services  and  the  prayer  meetings,  but,  in 
the  latter,  young  persons  should  be  seen  rather  than  heard. 
When  you  are  older  and  have  more  experience,  you  will  be 


112  The  Modern  Church  ■^^"om 

welcome  to  a  share  in  the  active  work  of  the  church."  This 
was  not  said  in  so  many  words,  but  in  many  churches  it  inter- 
preted the  common  attitude.  As  a  consequence  latent  powers 
remained  undeveloped  and  capacity  for  useful  Christian  service 
was  lost  to  the  churches.  An  Awakening  sense  of  the  magnitude 
of  the  losses  thus  sustained,  not  only  in  the  immediate  Hfe  of 
the  churches,  but  in  their  future  strength,  led  to  many  varied 
efforts  in  local  churches  to  solve  the  problem  of  training  yoimg 
converts  in  vital  piety  and  for  intelligent  usefulness.  Most  of 
these  efforts  were  defective  in  important  particulars,  and  after 
a  time  they  ceased  to  exist,  or  were  merged  in  one  or  another  of 
the  larger  movements  to  which  the  situation  gave  rise. 

Note  2.  The  Christian  Endeavor  Movement.  Christian 
Endeavor  has  sometimes  been  caUed  "  the  miracle  of  modem 
times."  Its  world-wide  growth  in  a  little  more  than  thirty 
years,  the  good  it  has  already  accomplished,  and  its  unlimited 
possibilities  of  achievement  along  m,any  lines  of  Christian  service 
fill  one  with  wonder  and  hopefidness  for  the  chiurch  of  the  future. 
The  beginning  of  Christian  missions  in  the  early  years  of  the 
last  century,  and  of  Christian  Endeavor  in  its  closing  years, 
will  be  recorded  among  the  outstanding  events  of  Christian 
progress  during  the  most  m.arvelous  century  in  himian  history. 

The  Christian  Endeavor  movement  originated  in  the  Willis- 
ton  Congregational  Church  of  Portland,  Maine.  Rev.  Francis 
E.  Clark,  the  pastor,  had  for  several  years  conducted  an  earnest 
work  among  the  young  people.  A  revival  in  the  winter  of 
1880-1881  emphasized  the  need  of  a  special  organization  to 
care  for  the  converts.  The  result  was  the  formation  of  the 
first  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor  in  the  pas- 
tor's study,  the  evening  of  February  2,  1881,  when  essentially 
the  present  constitution  and  pledge  were  adopted,  and  the 
present  methods  of  work  outlined. 

The  success  of  the  young  society  so  far  exceeded  the  most 
sanguine  hopes  of  its  organizers  that  Dr.  Clark  was  induced  the 
following  summer  to  give  an  account  of  it  in  The  Congregational- 
ist  and  in  The  Sunday-School  Times.  These  articles  attracted 
wide  attention,  and  immediately  similar  societies  began  to 
multiply.  In  a  little  over  a  year  six  societies  were  recorded; 
in  two  years,  fifty-three  with  an  enrolled  membership  of  2,630; 
in  three  years,  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  with  6,414  members; 
and  in  five  years,  two  hundred  and  fifty-three  with  14,892 


Eighteen  Youfig  People's  Societies:  History  113 

members.  From  that  time  the  movement  went  on  with  leaps 
and  boimds  imtil  in  1912  it  had  spread  over  the  world  and  re- 
ported over  75,000  societies  with  over  3,900,000  members  in 
more  than  eighty  different  denominations.  So  deep  and  wide- 
spread was  the  enthusiasm  created  by  it  that  at  the  fourteenth 
annual  convention  in  Boston,  Mass.,  in  1895,  the  nimiber  of 
registered  delegates  reached  the  immense  number  of  56,435. 
It  has  adapted  itself  to  all  denominations,  nationalities  and 
races.  While,  on  the  one  hand,  intensely  local  in  its  loyalty  to 
the  individual  church  of  which  it  forms  a  part,  it  is,  on  the  other 
hand,  in  its  spirit  and  aims  as  universal  as  Christianity  itself. 
It  thus  came  to  exercise  a  strong  influence  in  behalf  of  Christian 
unity. 

Quite  early  it  was  felt  that  more  effective  work  could  be  done 
by  separating  the  younger  members  into  Junior  Christian  En- 
deavor Societies.  Junior  societies  are  now  everywhere  recog- 
nized as  an  indispensable  part  of  the  organization.  The  chil- 
dren feel  more  freedom  than  in  the  presence  of  the  seniors,  and 
are  therefore  more  ready  to  respond  to  duties  laid  upon  them. 
The  Intermediate  Society  is  a  later  development,  taking  boys 
and  girls  at  high  school  age.  The  leader,  an  older  endeavorer, 
is  a  sort  of  big  brother  to  guide  and  direct  the  society.  But 
responsibility  is  largely  placed  on  the  young  people. 

The  Christian  Endeavor  headquarters  are  in  Boston,  Mass. 

Note  3.  The  Ep worth  League.  The  Christian  Endeavor 
movement  from  the  first  struck  root  in  all  evangelical  denomina- 
tions. Ever3rwhere  it  was  welcomed  as  a  happy  solution  of  the 
problem  how  to  care  for  the  young  people  in  the  churches. 
From  the  first,  also,  the  leaders  had  wisely  seen  that  any 
attempt  to  control  the  local  societies  from  the  headquarters  of 
the  movement  would  be  fatal  to  its  success.  Every  society  was 
therefore  taught  to  regard  itself  as  amenable  to  no  human 
authority  save  that  of  its  own  church  and  pastor.  During  the 
early  years,  when  no  one  dreamed  of  the  magnitude  the  move- 
ment would  assume,  and  while  as  yet  the  ntmiber  of  societies 
was  small,  no  effort  was  made  anywhere  to  place  the  movement 
imder  denominational  control.  This  lasted  only  until  religious 
leaders  began  to  see  that  Christian  Endeavor  had  come  to  stay, 
and  that  it  was  destined  to  become  a  mighty  agency  in  shaping 
the  lives  of  the  young. 

The  first  break  with  the  interdenominational  fellowship  of 


114  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^^ 

Christian  Endeavor  was  made  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  in  the  organization  of  its  young  people  into  an  Epworth 
League.  This  occuiTcd  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  May  15,  1889.  It 
was  officially  recognized  by  the  General  Conference  in  1892. 
In  a  short  time  all  the  Methodist  societies  were  transformed 
into  chapters  of  the  League  and  the  whole  movement,  so  far 
as  related  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  was  incorporated 
with  the  church  organization.  It^  purpose,  as  stated  in  the 
Yearj  Book  for  1912  "  is  twofold, — promoting  intelligent  and 
vital  piety  among  the  young  people  of  our  church  and  congrega- 
tions and  training  them  for  works  of  mercy  and  help.  It  has 
been  given  a  more  militant  expression  as  follows :  To  develop  a 
world-wide  conquering  church  by  winning,  saving,  and  training 
the  yoimg  people  for  JeSus  Christ."  The  same  Year  Book 
reports  14,075  Senior  Chapters  with  594,478  members,  and 
6,033  Junior  Chapters  with  244,414  members.  The  central 
office  of  the  Epworth  League  is  at  Chicago,  111. 

Note  4.  The  Baptist  Young  People's  Union.  Essentially 
the  same  reasons  that  led  to  the  organization  of  the  Epworth 
League  found  expression  in  the  starting  of  the  Baptist  Young 
People's  Union  at  Chicago,  July  7,  1891.  From  the  first,  how- 
ever, this  movement  met  with  much  opposition.  The  freedom 
of  every  local  Baptist  church  from  denominational  control 
permitted  the  young  people  in  each  chin-ch  to  determine  for 
themselves  whether  thc}^  would  join  the  new  society,  or  remain 
loyal  to  the  Christian  Endeavor  idea  and  the  interdenomina- 
tional fellowship  to  which  it  introduced  them.  While  many 
societies  felt  in  duty  bound  to  cast  in  their  influence  with  their 
own  denominational  society,  a  large  nimiber  preferred  to  remain 
Christian  Endeavorers.  For  this  reason,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  the  Young  People's  Baptist  Union  has  almost  from  the 
outset  admitted  into  its  organization  all  Baptist  Christian  En- 
deavor Societies  without  change  of  name  or  constitution,  it  has 
never  achieved  the  same  denominational  importance  as  the 
Epworth  League.  Its  local  societies,  however,  have  been  of 
great  help  to  their  respective  churches,  and,  along  with  the 
Baptist  Christian  Endeavor  societies,  have  heartily  supported 
the  wider  interests  of  the  denomination.  The  headquarters  are 
at  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Note  5.  Other  Young  People's  Societies.  One  of  the  earli- 
est and  simplest  efforts  to  enlist  young  people  in  personal  service 


Eighteen  Youiig  People's  Societies:  History  115 

was  the  Lend-a-  Hand  inspired  by  the  practical  ideahsm  embod- 
ied in  Edward  Everett  Hale's  story,  Ten  Times  One  is  Ten. 
It  told  how  the  short  and  noble  life  of  Henry  Wadsworth  led 
ten  of  his  young  friends  to  unite  in  cherishing  his  mottoes: 
"  Look  up  and  not  down;  look  forward  and  not  back;  look  out 
and  not  in;  and  lend  a  hand."  They  embody  the  three  supreme 
Christian  graces — Faith,  looking  up;  Hope,  looking  forward; 
Love,  seeking  service;  and  service  itself  by  lending  a  hand. 
The  story  goes  on  to  tell  how  in  three  years  each  of  these  ten 
won  ten  more,  so  that  there  were  a  hundred,  and  then  at  the 
end  of  each  successive  three  years  there  would  be  a  thousand, 
ten  thousand,  and  so  on  until  in  only  twenty-seven  years  there 
would  be  a  thousand  millions  of  people  working  under  the  im- 
pulse of  Faith,  Hope,  and  Love.  The  first  Lend-a-Hand  Club, 
formed  in  1871,  was  quickly  followed  by  others  until  in  1891  by 
an  entirely  spontaneous  growth  the  number  had  so  increased  as 
to  call  for  a  central  organization,  the  Lend-a-Hand  Society, 
through  which  the  local  clubs  are  enabled  to  cooperate  in  works 
of  mercy  too  large  for  any  individual  club  to  undertake.  As 
Dr.  Hale  was  a  Unitarian  minister,  the  Unitarian  churches  are 
naturally  interested  in  this  movement,  though  by  no  means 
exclusively  so  since  it  is  undenominational.  The  central  office 
is  in  Boston,  Mass. 

The  Kings  Daughters.  These  '*  circles  "  were  started  in 
1886  in  New  York  City  by  Mrs.  Margaret  Bottome.  They 
are  similar  in  piirpose,  organization,  and  methods  to  the  Lend- 
a-Hand  Clubs.  They  are  usually,  but  not  necessarily,  connected 
with  some  church.  Even  when  this  is  the  case,  they  frequently 
irbclude  persons  of  philanthropic  and  benevolent  instincts  who 
are  not  church  members.  The  international  headquarters  are 
at  New  York  City. 

The  first  Luther  League  was  organized  in  New  York  City  in 
1887.  The  movement  spread  rapidly,  so  that  in  1895  the 
Luther  League  of  America  was  organized  by  420  delegates  relpre- 
senting  20  States  and  as  many  young  people's  societies  with 
various  names.  The  motto  of  the  national  society  is,  "Of 
the  Church,  by  the  Church,  for  the  Church."  The  fundamental 
principles  are  federation,  which  is  the  governmental  principle, 
and  cooperation,  which  is  the  economic  principle.  In  harmony 
with  these  principles  membership  is  extended  to  Christian 
Endeavor  Societies,  Luther  Alliances,  King's  Daughters,  King's 
Sons  and  all  kindred  organizations  connected  with  Lutheran 


116  The  Modern  Church  Lesson 

churches  or  Lutheran  institutions  of  learning.  In  1908  and 
1909  the  League  made  its  way  into  Japan,  China,  and  India. 
It  provides  an  excellent  scheme  of  Bible  study  for  the  young 
people  and  aims  to  give  them  information  regarding  the  faith 
and  practice  of  their  church. 

The  Order  of  Knights  of  King  Arthur  attempts  to  instil  noble 
ideals  in  boys  from  twelve  to  seventeen  years  of  age  by  appeal- 
ing to  the  heroic  instinct  which  is  then  predominant.  The  first 
"  Castle  "  was  organized  at  Riverside,  R.  L,  February  10,  1893, 
by  WilHam  Byron  Forbush,  then  pastor  of  the  local  Congrega- 
tional church,  and  he  is  still  Mage  Merlin,  or  chief  adviser,  of 
the  order.  From  that  time  the  movement  has  spread  widely 
among  many  denominations,  so  that  at  the  present  time  (1913) 
it  reports  about  2,600  Castles  and  nearly  50,000  members. 
The  knightly  ideals  of  service,  self-mastery,  and  self-sacrifice 
are  held  up  as  the  ideal  of  Christian  manhood.  "  Although  the 
framework  of  the  order  is  a  monarchy,  there  is  nothing  dicta- 
torial about  its  management.  Each  Castle  is  independent  in  its 
plans  and  work."  Direct  all  correspondence  to  Order  of  the 
Knights  of  King  Arthur,  Oberlin,  Ohio. 

An  order  similar  to  the  above,  and  known  as  the  Queens  of 
Avilion  was  established  some  years  later.  It  is  designed  to  do 
for  girls  and  young  women  what  the  King  Arthur  idea  does  for 
boys  and  young  men.  Its  growth  has  not  been  so  rapid,  but 
nevertheless  it  has  accomplished  much  good.  The  headquarte^-s 
are  at  Taylor  and  Third  Avenue,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Several  other  orders  similar  to  the  Knights  of  King  Arthur, 
and  appealing  to  the  same  heroic  instinct  in  youth,  have  ap- 
peared in  recent  years.  Such  are  the  Knights  of  the  Holy 
Grail,  and  the  Knights  of  Methodism.  The  former,  founded  by 
Rev.  Perry  Edwards  Powell,  has  now  (1912)  estalDlished  itself 
in  twenty  denominations,  and  every  State  in  the  Union  and  in 
Canada,  and  embraces  over  seventy  thousand  members.  It 
uses  the  Boys'  Scouts  of  America,  gives  it  a  Christian  character, 
and  makes  it  churchly.  The  Grail  works  in  close  harmony  with 
the  Jimior,  Intermediate,  and  Senior  departments  in  the  Simday 
school,  and  with  the  local  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 
It  is  not  a  secret  society,  but  gives  to  the  boys  the  confidential 
meeting.  For  full  information,  address  The  Knights  of  the 
Holy  Grail,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

The  Knights  of  Methodism  tries  to  adapt  the  heroic  principles 
illustrated  in  the  life  of  Daniel,  to  boys  between  nine  and  twenty 


Eighteen  Youfig  People's  Societies:   History  117 

years  of  age.  The  plan  as  worked  out  is  described  in  the  Metho- 
dist Year  Book  for  1912.  Its  evident  purpose  is  to  retain  all 
organizations  of  this  kind  under  the  immediate  control  of  the 
church. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Gladden:  The  Christian  Pastor,  pp.  313-331.  {2)  Mead:  Modern 
Methods  in  Church  Work,  pp.  119-121.  (5)  Frederick  W.  Green:  in  Recent 
Christian  Progress,  pp.  412^17.  U)  Methodist  Year  Book  for  1912.  (.5) 
Wells:  A  Short  History  of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Movement.  This  sum- 
marizes the  history  from  the  foundation  in  1881  to  the  close  of  1899  (price 
5  cents).  Recent  progress  is  noted  in  brief  annuals.  (6)  Forbush:  The 
Boy's  Round  Table,  gives  full  information  as  to  the  constitution  and  work 
of  the  Knights  of  King  Arthur.  (7)  The  Young  Knight,  for  July  and  Au- 
gust, 1912,  gives  all  needed  information  concerning  The  Knights  of  the 
Holy  Grail. 

REVIEW   QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  is  woman's  position  in  the  modem  church? 

2.  What  is  your  opinion  of  the  value  of  woman's  work  in  the  church? 

3.  Give  some  facts  respecting  the  work  of  the  Methodist  deaconesses. 

4.  What  form  does  woman's  work  in  local  churches  usually  take? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE   LESSON. 

1.  What  condition  in  the  churches  led  to  the  modem  yoimg  people's 
movements? 


2.  Describe  the  origin  of  the  Christian  Endeavor  movement. 


3.  What  has  been  its  subsequent  growth? 


4.  What  provision  was  made  for  the  younger  members? 


5.  What    fundamental    principle    permitted    the    Christian    Endeavor 
movement  to  become  interdenominational? 


118  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^ 

6.  Describe  the  origin  and  growth  of  the  Epworth  League. 


7.  What  prevented  a  similar  growth  of  the  Baptist  Young  People's 
Union? 


8.  How  did  the  Lend-a-Hand  Society  originate: 


9.  What  was  the  origin  of  the  Order  of  the  Knights  of  King  Arthur? 


10.  Mention  some  other  similar  organizations  that  are  doing  a  good 


work. 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  are  the  young  people  in  your  church  organized? 

2.  What  is  their  total  membership? 

3.  What  is  the  distinctive  purpose  of  each  organization? 

4.  How  much  did  they  contribute  last  year  to  external  church  interests? 

QUESTION  FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

Which  is  the  more  advantageous  for  a  church,  a  denominational  or  an 
interdenominational  organization  of  its  young  people? 


Lesson  19.    YOUNG   PEOPLE»S    SOCIETIES:  METHODS. 
See  Lesson  18. 

Scripture  Reading:  Young  People  Exhorted  to  Pursue  Wisdom. 
Prov.  2:  1-9. 

Note  1.  Methods  in  General.  The  motive  underlying  the 
formation  of  all  young  people's  societies  is  to  supply  a  part  of 
that  religious  education  which  is  as  necessary  for  the  develop- 


Nineteen  Youfig  PeopWs  Societies:  Methods  119 

ment  of  efficient  chuirch  members  as  is  secular  education  as  a 
basis  for  good  citizenship.  One  of  the  most  hopeful  signs  of 
our  times  is  the  awakening  of  the  churches  to  a  recognition  of 
the  fact  that  their  futiu-e  strength,  not  to  say  existence,  de- 
pends more  than  ever  on  Christian  niuture  of  the  yoting,  and 
that  this  nurture  must  be  carried  on  in  harmony  with  the 
successive  stages  of  their  mental  and  spiritual  development. 
Many  of  the  methods  now  in  use  fail  in  this  respect.  They 
provide  for  the  boy  or  girl  from  the  point  of  view  of  adults 
who  in  many  cases  have  forgotten  that  they  ever  were  boys  or 
girls.  Happily,  here  also  there  is  a  beginning  of  better  things. 
We  are  coming  to  understand  the  difference  between  "  saving  " 
the  young,  and  "  saving  "  those  in  mature  life,  and,  as  this 
difference  is  seen,  methods  are  devised  better  adapted  to  meet 
the  instincts  that  characterize  each  stage  of  the  imfolding  life. 
It  is  seen  that  the  best  Christian  training  for  boys  and  girls  is 
not  attained  by  "  testifying  "  in  meeting  respecting  their  sup- 
posed religious  experiences,  but  that  far  better  and  more  lasting 
results  are  reached  by  devices  that  appeal  directly  to  their 
spontaneous  activities. 

In  all  yoimg  people's  societies  there  was  at  first  a  strong 
tendency  to  conduct  their  meeting  after  the  manner  of  the 
weekly  church  prayer  meeting.  An  almost  exclusive  emphasis 
was  placed  on  "  testimonies,"  in  disregard  of  the  fact  that  be- 
ginners in  the  Christian  life  have  not  a  large  assortment  of 
experiences  on  which  to  base  testimonies.  The  result  was  a 
wearisome  and  depressing  sameness.  Now,  on  the  contrary, 
every  young  people's  organization  is  being  made  more  than  ever 
a  training  school  for  efficiency  in  church  work.  Earnest  and 
well-considered  efforts  are  employed  to  make  each  local  group, 
whatever  its  name,  not  only  an  inspirational,  but  an  educational 
force.  The  prayer  meeting  themes,  for  example,  while  still  in 
some  measure  emphasizing  the  importance  of  "  growing  in 
grace  "  and  the  value  of  self-examination,  now  lead  the  way 
into  a  larger  and  more  generous  growth  by  presenting  themes 
related  to  the  pressing  social  questions  of  our  day.  These 
questions  require  a  study  of  facts  and  conditions,  they  encour- 
age intelligent  discussion,  and  thus  arouse  a  sustained  interest. 
There  is  a  tremendous  value  in  talking  over  religious  matters 
of  all  kinds,  and  especially  such  as  the  young  people  themselves 
want  discussed. 

In  organizations  like  the  Knights  of  King  Arthur  an  age  is 


120  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^^^ 

quickly  reached  where  the  ritual  ceases  to  appeal  to  the  imagi- 
nation, and  the  members  drop  out  naturally.  It  is  otherwise 
in  the  older  societies,  such  as  the  Christian  Endeavor,  the 
Ep worth  League,  and  the  Baptist  Yoting  People's  Union,  where 
the  age  limit  is  based  on  personal  feeling  rather  than  years. 
In  many  of  them  so  many  of  the  older  members  have  retained 
an  active  membership  that  the  societies  have  ceased  in  many 
cases  to  be  organizations  of  young  people.  Hence  a  desire  has 
been  expressed  in  some  quarters  that  all  members  should  be 
retired  automatically  on  reaching  a  certain  age,  say  thirty 
years.  One  denomination  tried  such  a  plan  some  years  ago, 
but  it  worked  so  disastrously  that  it  had  to  be  abandoned. 
Similar  results  have  been  experienced  by  others  who  have  tried 
to  fix  an  age  limit  to  membership.  Moreover,  in  many  country 
churches  the  young  people's  societies  would  soon  die  out  but 
for  the  active  support  of  the  older,  but  by  no  means  super- 
annuated, members. 

The  relation  of  the  young  people's  meeting  to  the  other  church 
services  has  been  a  perplexing  problem  from  the  first.  Objec- 
tions to  holding  it  on  a  week-day  evening  have  been  made  on 
the  ground  that  many  young  persons  are  otherwise  employed, . 
and  that  if  they  can  and  do  attend,  they  feel  that  this  excuses 
them  from  being  present  at  the  church  prayer  meeting.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  the  young  people's  meeting  is  held  at  6.30 
Sunday  evening,  the  complaint  is  sometimes  made  that  "  it 
takes  the  starch  out  of  the  7.30  service."  In  many  cases  this 
is  precisely  what  the  7.30  service  needs.  If  it  were  more 
flexible,  it  might  be  more  attractive.  In  some  instances  where 
pastors  have  imagined  that  the  young  people's  meeting  de- 
creased attendance  at  the  church  service,  they  have  been  ad- 
vised to  have  the  former  discontinued  for  a  while,  only  to  find 
that  the  situation  became  still  worse.  Usually  the  tendency  to 
go  home  after  the  6.30  service  is  most  noticeable  where,  through 
neglect  of  proper  oversight  from  the  pastor  or  the  church, 
the  young  people's  organization  has  been  suffered  to  drift  into 
independence  of  the  church.  The  obvious  remedy  is  to  win 
it  back  to  such  loyalty  that  the  6.30  service  shall  become  a 
source  of  strength  to  that  which  follows,  as  it  actually  is  in  the 
vast  majority  of  instances,  notwithstanding  the  unfavorable 
hour.  But,  even  if  some  of  the  young  people  go  home,  the  older 
ones  should  remember  that  many  of  them  have  already  attended 
two  or  three  services;  that  the  young  people's  society  is  the 


Nineteen  Yoiiug  Peoplc' s' SocicHes:  Methods  121 

training  school  of  the  church;  that  the  feeblest  effort  at  self- 
expression  has  more  value  in  developing  efficiency  than  the  most 
eloquent  superimposed  expressions  of  the  pastor;  and  that, 
therefore,  if  a  choice  between  the  two  services  must  be  made,  it 
would  be  wiser  to  encourage  attendance  at  the  former  than  at 
the  latter. 

Note  2.  The  Christian  Endeavor  Societies.  The  adminis- 
trative center  of  Christian  Endeavor  is  the  United  Society. 
It  consists  of  one  trustee  from  each  of  the  leading  evangelical 
denominations.  It  is  simply  an  agency  for  printing  the  litera- 
ture, for  scattering  information,  and  for  answering  the  thousands 
of  letters  of  inquiry  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  It  levies  no 
taxes,  asks  for  no  contributions  from  the  local  societies,  and 
assumes  no  authority  over  them.  All  profits  from  its  publica- 
tions, books,  and  badges  are  used  in  extending  the  Christian 
Endeavor  idea  over  the  world. 

Among  the  principles  adopted  by  the  Fifteenth  International 
Christian  Endeavor  Convention,  held  in  Washington,  D.  C,  in 
1896,  were  the  following: 

"  First  and  foremost,  personal  devotion  to  our  divine  Lord 
and  Savior,  Jesus  Christ. 

"  Second,  the  covenant  obligations  embodied  in  a  prayer 
meeting  pledge,  without  which  there  can  be  no  true  society  of 
Christian  Endeavor. 

"  Third,  constant  religious  training  for  all  kinds  of  service 
involved  in  the  various  committees,  which  .  .  .  are,  equally 
with  the  prayer  meeting,  essential  to  a  society  of  Christian 
Endeavor. 

"  Fourth,  strenuous  loyalty  to  the  local  church  and  denomina- 
tion with  which  each  local  society  is  connected.  .  .  . 

"  Fifth,  we  reaffirm  our  increasing  confidence  in  the  inter- 
denominational spiritual  fellowship,  through  which  we  hope, 
not  for  organic  unity,  but  to  fulfil  our  Lord's  prayer,  *  that  they 
all  may  be  one.'  .  .  . 

"  Sixth,  Christian  Endeavor  stands  always  for  Christian 
citizenship.  It  is  forever  opposed  to  the  saloon,  the  gambling- 
den,  the  brothel,  and  every  like  iniquity.  It  stands  for  temper- 
ance, for  law,  for  order,  for  Sabbath  keeping,  for  a  pure,  political 
atmosphere;  in  a  word,  for  righteousness.  .  .  . 

"  Seventh,  that  all  moneys  gathered  by  the  various  societies 
of  Christian  Endeavor  for  the  cause  of  missions  be  always  sent 


122  The  Modern  Church  ^«"o« 

to  the  missionary  boards  of  the  special  denomination  to  which 
the  particular  society  belongs.  .  .  . 

"  Eighth,  Christian  Endeavor  has  for  its  ultimate  aim  a  pur- 
pose no  less  wide  and  lofty  than  the  bringing  of  the  world  to 
Christ." 

The  work  of  each  local  society  centers  in  its  own  weekly 
prayer  meeting,  whose  topics  are  suggested  by  the  United 
Society.  Aside  from  the  word  of  testimony  or  prayer  required 
by  a  pledge  from  each  member,  there  are  numerous  committees 
to  look  out  for  new  members,  appoint  leaders,  arrange  programs, 
and  to  furnish  practice  in  Christian  activities  and  Christian 
fellowship. 

Note  3.  In  the  Epworth  League.  The  publications  and 
supplies  of  the  League  are  now  under  the  immediate  control 
and  management  of  a  central  office.  Its  policy  and  work  are 
directed  by  a  Board  of  Control  composed  of  seventeen  members. 
The  expenses  of  the  central  office  are  met  by  a  '*  disciplinary 
collection  "  fixed  by  the  Board  of  Control  at  five  cents  a  member 
for  Senior  Chapters,  three  cents  for  the  Intermediate  Chapters, 
and  two  cents  for  the  Junior  Chapters. 

The  work  of  the  League  is  (i)  educational,  to  enable  the  young 
people  of  the  church  to  "  attain  symmetry  and  intensity  of 
Christian  character  and  intelligent  effectiveness  in  Christian 
service.  This  educational  work  is  conducted  along  the  lines  of 
Bible  study  and  mission  study,  and  in  holding  institutes  for 
training  League  workers  for  leadership  in  every  department; 
as  a  result  of  these  institutes,  hundreds  of  young  men  have 
given  themselves  to  the  ministry,  and  hundreds  of  other  young 
persons  have  gone  to  the  mission  fields  or  engaged  in  deaconess 
work  or  other  forms  of  special  service."  {2)  Evangelistic. 
"  The  primary  object  of  the  Junior  League  is  to  secure  the  con- 
version of  boys  and  girls,  and  to  confirm  them  in  an  intelligent 
Christian  faith.  Personal  evangelism  is  constantly  gaining 
ground  and  receiving  increased  attention  throughout  the  Senior 
League." 

Note  4.  In  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union.  The  publi- 
cations and  supplies  of  the  Union  have  been  taken  over  by  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society  in  Philadelphia,  where 
the  headquarters  of  the  organization  are  located.  The  inde- 
pendency of  the  Baptist  churches  extends  to  their  local  societies, 
each  of  which  frames  its  own  constitution,  determines  its  own 


Nineteen  Young  People's  Societies:  Methods  123 

policy,  and  outlines  its  own  work.  The  object  of  each  local 
Union,  as  expressed  in  a  raodel  constitution  recommended  by 
the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  of  America,  "  shaU  be  to 
secure  the  increased  spirituality  of  our  Bap  cist  young  people; 
their  stimulation  in  Christian  sendee;  their  edification  in  Scrip- 
ture knowledge;  their  instruction  in  Baptist  doctrine  and  his- 
tory, and  their  enlistment  in  aU  missionary  activity  through 
existing  denominational  organizations." 

The  work  here  also  centers  in  the  weekly  devotional  meeting. 
Aside  from  "  testifying,"  the  work  is  distributed  among  six  or 
eight  committees  having  in  the  main  duties  similar  to  those 
assigned  to  corresponding  Christian  Endeavor  committees. 

Note  5.  In  the  Lend-a-Hand  Clubs.  To  belong  to  the 
Central  Society  each  club  pays  an  annual  due  amounting  to 
ten  cents  for  each  member.  With  the  amounts  so  contributed 
the  Central  Society  is  in  position  to  render  prompt  aid  in  many 
cases  where  united  rather  than  merely  local  action  is  needed. 
Such,  for  example,  is  the  Book  Mission,  which  annually  pur- 
chases thousands  of  good  books  and  sends  them  in  small  lots 
to  Southern  schools.  The  members  of  the  local  clubs  pledge 
themselves  to  be,  so  far  as  they  are  able,  truthful,  unselfish, 
cheerful,  hopeful  and  helpful,  and  to  use  their  influence  always 
for  the  right,  never  to  use  ^odgar  and  profane  language,  to  show 
respect  for  the  old,  to  be  kind  to  animals,  to  avoid  tobacco  and 
stimulants,  and  to  oppose  ill  treatment  of  the  yoimg  and  unfor- 
tunate. An  essential  rule  is  that  each  club,  whatever  literary 
or  other  form  of  entertainment  may  occupy  the  greater  part  of 
the  time,  shall  at  each  meeting  bring  forward  and  act  on  some 
plan  for  the  benefit  of  some  one  outside  its  own  membership. 

Note  6.  In  the  Knights  of  King  Arthur.  This  order  de- 
pends largely  on  its  impressive  ritual,  its  secret  passwords,  and 
other  mystical  and  semi-military  devices  dear  to  the  gang  spirit 
of  the  boy  and  designed  to  win  and  hold  his  attention.  The 
order  is  built  up  on  seven  ideas : 

1.  Merlin.  As  Merlin  was  the  great  magician  at  King 
Arthur's  court  and  his  adviser,  so  each  "  Castle  "  has  as  its 
Merlin  the  person  of  an  older  boys'  club  director.  He  is 
seated  beside  the  throne,  is  a  member  of  all  committees,  and  has 
a  peculiarly  confidential  relation  to  the  leaders  of  the  club. 

2.  Rotation  of  Office.  To  avoid  jealousy  and  to  give  all  the 
boys  experience  in  parliamentary  procedure  and  leadership. 


124  The  Modern  Church  ^^"°« 

3.  Use  of  Heroic  Names.  Each  boy  on  becoming  a  member 
ass-uxnes  the  name  of  a  hero,  knightly  or  modem,  as  his  own, 
and  in  the  Castle  is  known  by  no  other.  This  has  a  profound 
influence  on  character. 

4.  The  Degree  System.  The  three  degrees  of  Page,  Esquire, 
and  Knight  can  be  won  only  by  actual  achievement,  and  the 
last  named  only  after  having  united  with  the  church. 

5.  The  Siege  Perilous.  Beside  King  Arthur's  throne  there 
stood  a  vacant  chair  waiting  to  be  filled  by  a  peerless  knight 
who  was  to  come.  It  was  eventually  filled  by  Sir  Galahad. 
For  any  achievement,  physical,  mental,  or  heroic,  any  mem- 
ber may  by  unanimous  suggestion  be  permitted  for  one  evening 
to  fill  the  vacant  seat,  the  Siege  Perilous,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  throne  from  Merlin's. 

6.  The  Peerage.  A  graduated  scale  of  tests  applicable  to 
every  kind  of  effort,  and  reasonable  in  severity,  will,  when  met, 
give  those  who  try  for  them  successive  ranks  of  nobility. 

7.  Liturgy.  This  comprises  all  forms  and  ceremonies  under 
which  the  previously  mentioned  plans  are  conducted. 

Note  7.  The  Knights  of  the  Holy  Grail.  This  order  while 
using  in  a  subordinate  degree  the  story  of  King  Arthur,  the 
Round  Table,  and  the  Holy  Grail,  presents  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God,  as  the  pattern  Knight.  It  is  founded  on  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  the  word  of  God,  it  teaches  missions  as  the  advance  of 
the  army  of  God,  it  inculcates  purity  as  the  character  of  every 
child  of  God,  and,  like  the  church  itself,  it  centers  in  the  Lord's 
supper  as  the  memorial  feast  of  the  children  of  God.  The 
Bible  is  the  central  teaching,  the  legend  of  the  Holy  Grail  being 
used  only  as  a  parable.  It  claims  to  be  the  only  church  club 
that  reaches  young  men  over  twenty.  The  yoimg  men  and 
small  boys  do  not  mix,  the  former  having  their  meetings  in  the 
evenings  and  the  latter  in  the  afternoons.  Hence  more  young 
men  join,  making  the  Grail  the  young  men's  order  of  the  church. 
Church  officials  can  attend  at  any  meeting.  While  the 
"  Castles  "  are  not  found  outside  of  chtirches  and  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations,  the  membership  is  open  to  all  boys  of 
manliness  whether  they  are  church  members  or  not.  The  im- 
derlying  purpose  is  the  cultivation  of  Christian  chivalry  in  the 
young  manhood  of  the  world  through  any  church  denomination. 

Note  8.  Young  People's  Societies  and  the  Church.  That 
the  yoimg  people's  societies  have  generally  been  a  great  help  in 


Nineteen  YouHg  People's  Societies:  Methods  125 

holding  and  developing  the  younger  members,  and  of  quicken- 
ing the  spiritual  and  social  life  of  the  churches  is  imquestionably 
true.  In  many  cases,  however,  they  seem  to  have  lost  sight  of 
the  common  interests  of  the  church  and  to  have  rested  content 
with  a  discharge  of  the  obligations  connected  with  themselves. 
By  establishing  closer  relations  with  the  Sunday  school,  by 
giving  a  heartier  support  to  the  Sunday  evening  service,  and  by 
offering  a  more  generous  assistance  to  the  pastor  in  such  parish 
work  as  he  may  indicate,  many  societies  would  greatly  increase 
their  usefulness,  and  entirely  do  away  with  the  feeling  that  they 
are  a  hindrance  rather  than  a  help  to  the  church. 

ADDITIONAL   READING   REFERENCES. 

In  addition  to  the  references  given  in  Lesson  18,  note  the  following: 
(1)  Wells:  Expert  Christian  Endeavor,  a  Textbook  of  Christian  Endeavor 
Methods  and  Principles;  in  the  form  of  questions  and  answers  it  covers 
long  established  as  well  as  advanced  methods  in  training  young  people  for 
Christian  efficiency.  (J^  Clark:  Christian  Endeavor  hi  Principle  and 
Practice. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  Mention  the  chief  young  people's  societies  now  organized. 

2.  What  growth  had  the  Christian  Endeavor  movement  reached  in 
1912? 

3.  What  is  the  psychological  principle  on  which  the  Order  of  the  Knights 
of  King  Arthur  and  similar  organizations  are  founded? 

4.  What  is  the  distinctive  aim  of  the  King's  Daughters? 

QUESTIONS    ON   THE   LESSON. 

1.  What  is  the  general  motive  underlying  the  formation  of  all  young 
people's  societies? 


2.  How   are    young    people's    societies    becoming    more    useful    to    the 
churches? 


3.  What  is  your  opinion  as  to  an  age  limit  to  membership; 


4.  How  can  the  young  people's  meeting  become  an  aid  to  the  church 
services? 


126  The  Modern  Church  ^«"«« 

5.  What  is  the  function  of  the  United  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor? 


6.  Mention  some  of  the  principles  on  which  the  Christian  Endeavor 
movement  rests. 


7.  Describe  the  central  management  of  the  Epworth  League. 


8.  What  are  the  aims  and  purposes  of  the  local  Leagues? 


9.  What  objects  are  aimed  at  in  the  Young  People's  Baptist  Unions?" 


10.  What  methods  are  adopted  in  the  Lend-a-Hand  Clubs? 


11.  What  means  does  the  Order  of  the  Knights  of  King  Arthur  use  to 
awaken  enthusiasm? 


12.  What  is  the  distinctive  purpose  of  the  Knights  of  the  Holy  Grail? 


13.  How  may  most  young  people's  societies  increase  their  usefulness? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

_  1.  How  many  young  people's  societies  are  there  in  the  churches  in  your 
vicinity,  and  what  are  their  names? 


Twenty  jk^  Pastor's  PaHsh  Work     .  127 

2.  When  are  young  people's  societies  helpful  to  a  church? 

3.  When  do  they  become  a  hindrance? 

4.  What  personal  benefits  have  you  received  from  connection  with  a 
young  people's  society? 

QUESTION  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

What  is  the  true  mission  of  a  young  people's  society  cormected  with  a 
church? 


Lesson  20.    THE  PASTOR'S  PARISH  WORK. 

Scripture  Reading:  Paul's  Pastoral  Work  at  Ephesus.     Acts  20:  17-35. 

Note  1.  Importance  of  the  Pastor's  Parish  Work.  There 
is  frequently  witnessed  a  tendency  to  overemphasize  the  im- 
portance of  the  minister's  work  as  a  preacher  in  comparison 
with  his  work  as  a  pastor.  When  a  chnrch  is  seeking  for  some 
one  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  the  pulpit,  almost  the  first  quality 
sought  is  brilliancy  in  public  utterance.  The  older  and  wiser 
members  of  the  church,  while  fully  appreciating  the  value  of  good 
preaching,  know  by  long  experience  that  this  is  only  one  part, 
and  sometimes  the  smaller  part,  of  a  faithful  minister's  work. 
Many  a  man  with  shining  pulpit  abilities  has  failed  wherever 
he  has  gone  because  of  equally  marked  deficiencies  in  his  work 
outside  of  the  pulpit.  On  the  contrary,  many  a  one,  altogether 
inconspicuous  as  a  preacher,  has  so  exalted  his  ministry  by  his 
parish  work  as  to  make  it  a  source  of  lasting  strength  and  bless- 
ing in  every  church  to  which  he  has  ministered.  Churches,  and 
especially  young  people,  so  far  as  they  have  a  voice  in  the  choice 
of  a  pastor,  shoiild  understand  that  a  minister's  qualifications 
for  his  parish  work  demand  fully  as  much  consideration  as  the 
impression  he  makes  in  the  ptilpit  when  preaching  as  a  **  candi- 
date." To  the  entire  community  he  should  embody  the  spirit, 
life,  and  ministry  of  Christ  as  this  is  reflected  in  the  Hfe  of  the 
church.  The  brilliant  preacher  wins  admiration,  the  faithful 
pastor  wins  affection.  Affection  always  accomplishes  more 
than  admiration. 

Note  2.  The  Changed  Character  of  Pastoral  Work.  Time 
was,  not  long  ago,  when  the  minister's  pastoral  work  consisted 
mainly  in  systematic  visitation  among  his  parishioners  for  the 
purpose  of  inquiring  into  their  spiritual  welfare  and  offering  a 


128  The  Modern  Church  ^^'^^^ 

prayer,  calling  on  the  sick  to  administer  religious  comfort  and 
consolation,  officiating  at  weddings  and  funerals,  looking  after 
the  needs  of  the  poor  and  distressed  and  rendering  such  other 
services  as  he  might  be  in  position  to  give.  The  "  parson  " 
was  pre-eminently  the  person  who  rendered  religious  services  to 
the  commimity.  The  church  machinery  was  of  the  simplest 
kind  and  almost  ran  itself — Sunday  school,  the  mission  circle, 
the  sewing  society,  and  the  choir  being  the  chief  organizations. 
The  administrative  duties  of  the  pastoral  office  were  reduced  to 
a  minimum.  His  position  invested  him  with  marked  dignity 
and  conceded  authority.  Even  his  dress  set  him  apart  from 
common  men  and  announced  his  calling. 

Our  age  has  changed  much  of  this.  It  has  made  the  pastoral 
office  much  less  professional  and  arbitrary  and  far  more  human 
and  natural.  When  the  mission  of  the  church  was  regarded  as 
saving  souls  for  another  world,  the  pa^stor's  work  among  his 
people  was  related  wholly  to  the  individual.  Now,  when  the 
mission  of  the  church  is  regarded  as  saving  men  for  this  world 
as  preliminary  to  a  future  salvation,  the  pastor's  work  has 
become  largely  socialized.  Then  religion  was  deemed  to  have 
done  its  work  when  it  had  brought  men  and  women  into  the 
shelter  of  the  church  and  had  set  before  them  spiritual  bread 
and  the  water  of  life.  To-day  the  church  is  becoming  aware 
that  religion  means  also  providing  healthful  homes,  a  living 
wage,  and  opportunities  for  physical  and  intellectual  better- 
ment. The  preacher  faces  not  merely  questions  of  individual 
repentance,  faith,  forgiveness,  and  holiness,  but  problems  that 
have  to  do  with  the  reorganization  of  society  on  a  juster  basis 
than  the  present  one.  Inevitably  his  work  has  taken  on  a 
vastly  larger  scope  and  a  different  complexion.  He  is  no  longer 
an  ecclesiastic,  but  a  man  among  men. 

The  causes  that  have  brought  about  this  change  in  the  pastor's 
work  have  also  wrought  a  radical  change  in  the  activities  of  the 
church.  Instead  of  laying  the  whole  burden  of  the  church's 
work  and  responsibility  on  the  minister,  the  modem  church 
regards  itself  as  a  working  body,  organized  into  a  multiplicity 
of  societies,  male  and  female,  yoting  people  and  old  people, 
each  having  its  own  specific  aim,  and  fulfilling  its  mission  in  its 
own  particular  way.  In  many  instances  the  minister  has  be- 
come largely  an  administrator  who  is  expected  to  keep  the 
complicated  ecclesiastical  machinery  running.  Under  his  wise 
and  inspiring  leadership  the  people  are  to  be  trained  to  work. 


Twenty  jj,^  Pastov's  Pavish  Work 


129 


It  is  his  duty  to  mtdtiply  himself  by  raising  up  the  largest 
possible  number  of  capable  assistants  who,  moved  by  the  im- 
pulse he  has  given_  them,  shall  carry  his  ministry  into  all  the 
ramifications  of  society.  He  must  show  them  that  by  doing  for 
others,  bearing  the  burdens  of  others,  identifying  themselves 
with  the  struggles  and  labors  of  others,  they  are  in  the  highest 
and  noblest  way  serving  themselves,  receiving  back  in  some 
finer  and  imperishable  form  the  things  they  seem  to  be  sacrific- 
ing at  the  call  of  Him  who  came,  not  to  be  served,  but  to  be  a 
servant  of  all.  By  a  clear  recognition  of  these  fundamental 
changes  which  our  age  has  wrought  in  the  pastor's  parish  work, 
and  by  a  prompt  and  cheerful  offering  of  themselves  for  such 
service  as  the  pastor  may  point  out,  the  young  people  wiU  be 
able  to  render  assistance  of  inestimable  value  to  him,  and  of 
lasting  benefit  to  themselves  and  to  the  church. 

Note  3.  The  Pastor's  Personal  Ministry.  The  transforma- 
tion of  the  modem  church  into  a  working  organization,  and  the 
consequent  burden  of  administration  placed  on  the  pastor,  do 
not  release  him  from  ctdtivating  that  personal  acquaintance 
with  his  people  on  which  his  ministry  must  largely  depend  for 
its  success.  No  pastor  can  know  his  people,  so  as  to  minister 
most  effectually  to  their  needs,  w^ho  does  not  know  them  in 
their  homes.  But  the  character  of  this  visitation  has  greatly 
changed.  The  formality  and  solemnity  of  the  old  style  of 
parish  visitation,  when  the  pastor  was  expected  to  address  him- 
self to  the  entire  family,  parents,  children,  and  servants,  indi- 
vidually, on  the  exceeding  importance  of  spiritual  things,  and  to 
close  his  visit  with  a  prayer,  has  largely  passed  away.  With 
the  frequent  laying  aside  of  the  ecclesiastical  garb,  and  the 
professional  air,  the  minister  has  become  more  humanized,  and 
his  parochial  work  has  correspondingly  taken  on  a  more  social 
and  friendly  tone.  He  calls  on  his  people,  not  so  much  to  con- 
tinue his  Sunday  preaching,  as  to  individualize  them  by  seeing 
them  in  the  environment  of  their  homes,  to  learn  their  peculiari- 
ties and  needs,  and  to  draw  closer  the  bonds  of  personal  friend- 
ship. "  In  these  brief  social  calls  the  pastor  may  be  able  to  let 
the  people  see  that  he  is  interested  in  all  that  concerns  them; 
that  he  has  been  thinking  about  them,  and  stud^dng  their 
welfare;  that  he  is  rejoicing  with  them  in  their  prosperity,  or 
bearing  their  burdens  with  them;  that  his  deepest  wish  is  to  be 
a  trusted  and  useful  friend.     The  pastoral  call  that  conveys 


130  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°« 

this  impression  to  their  minds  is  a  thoroughly  successful  call, 
even  though  there  may  have  been  no  preaching  or  even  praying 
connected  with  it."   i 

The  pastor  who  shows  himself  a  sympathetic  friend  will  soon 
find  himself  a  confidential  counselor.  He  need  not  pry  into 
the  inner  life  of  his  parishioners.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  there 
is  a  multitude  of  people  who  are  in  perplexity  or  trouble,  who 
have  become  weary  and  discouraged,  who  haVe  fallen  into 
religious  doubt,  or  who  beneath  a  smiling  face  carry  sorrows  that 
eat  like  a  worm  at  the  heart.  To  open  their  hearts  to  some 
trusted  and  wise  friend  would  be  an  unspeakable  relief  to  them. 
Most  likely  in  all  their  circle  of  acquaintances  there  is  not  one 
who  possesses  the  requisite  qualifications.  The  pastor  is  the 
very  one  who,  by  his  wide  experience  of  life,  his  knowledge  of 
human  nature,  his  disinterestedness,  his  sympathy  with  the 
weak  and  tempted,  and  his  charity  for  those  who  have  fallen, 
is  in  position  to  receive  as  a  sacred  trust  confidences  freely  offered. 
Such  confidences  afford  the  wise  winner  of  souls  matchless 
opportunities  for  giving  not  only  wholesome  counsel  respecting 
the  matter  in  hand,  but  for  leading  the  person  who  consults 
him  to  acceptance  of,  or  greater  trust  in,  Christ  as  the  truest 
friend  and  the  best  helper  in  all  perplexities,  sorrows,  and  mis- 
fortunes. 

The  more  natural  and  brotherly  relation  which  the  pastor 
sustains  to  his  flock  to-day  makes  such  confidences  more  easy 
than  of  old.  Many  persons  who  nurse  their  troubles  alone 
would  find  great  comfort  and  strength  in  speaking  of  them  to  a 
faithful  minister.  Young  people,  especially,  are  often  beset  by 
doubts  and  temptations  that  might  be  wholly  removed  by  a  few 
moments'  franl^  conversation  with  their  spiritual  adviser.  To 
dissipate  doubts,  to  comfort  those  in  trouble,  to  assuage  sorrow, 
to  strengthen  the  weak,  to  encourage  the  heavy  laden,  to  revive 
a  drooping  faith,  this  is  the  sweetest  and  holiest  part  of  a  pastor's 
parish  work. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(i)  Pratt:  in  Recent  Christian  Progress,  pp.  350-355.  (2)  Ian  Maclaren 
(John  Watson):  The  Cure  of  Souls,  pp.  207-242.  (5)  Lyman:  The  Chris- 
tian Pastor  in  the  New  Age.  (/i)  Gladden:  The  Christian  Pastor  and  the 
Working  Church,  pp.  172-203.  {5)  Dykes:  The  Christian  Minister  and  his 
Duties,  pp.  300-306. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  leading  principles  of  Christian  Endeavor? 

2.  What  are  the  two  main  lines  of  work  in  the  Ep worth  League? 


Twenty  The  PastoT  s  PaHsh  Work  131 

3.  How  does  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  do  its  work? 

4.  What  moral   and  benevolent  ends  are  sought  in  the  Lend-a-Hand 
Clubs? 

5.  On  what  does  the  Order  of  Knights  of  King  Arthur  depend  for  its 
success? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE  LESSON. 
1.  How  does  the  importance  of  the  pastor's  parish  work  compare  with 
that  of  preaching? 


2.  Until  recent  years  what  was  the  character  of  the  pastor's  parish  work? 


3.  How  has  the  modern  social  awakening  affected  this  work? 


4.  How  has  it  affected  the  organization  of  the  church? 


5.  How  has  this  development  of  a  working  church  reacted  on  the  minis- 
ter's parish  work? 


6.  Describe  the  old  style  of  pastoral  visitation. 


7.  How  have  modem  conditions  affected  this  part  of  a  pastor's  work? 


8.  What  intimate  relations  does  a  pastor's  work  often  involve? 


9.  How  can  such  intimacies  be  turned  to  spiritual  advantage? 


132  The  Modern  Church  ^"°" 

10.  What  benefits  may  young  people  reap  from  friendly  relations  with 
their  pastor? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  On  which  side  of  his  work,  the  preaching  or  the  parish  administration, 
does  your  own  pastor  seem  to  put  the  greater  emphasis? 

2.  Which  kind  of  pastoral  visit  do  you  value  the  more,  the  strictly  pro- 
fessional or  the  mainly  social  and  friendly? 

3.  Which  kind  do  you  thinly  is  likely  to  prove  the  more  valuable 
religiously? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

1.  In  view  of  Acts  6:2,  is  it  right  to  put  on  a  pastor  the  burden  of  the 
parish  administration? 

2.  Is  there  any  provision  in  your  church  for  getting  every  member  at 
work  in  some  appropriate  sphere  of  Christian  activity?  What  would  you 
think  of  requiring  every  member  to  make  an  annual  report  as  to  the  kinds 
of  Christian  work  he  is  doing?  Should  the  pastor  be  authorized  to  call  for 
such  reports? 


Lesson  21.     MAKING  UP  A  CHURCH  BUDGET. 

Scripture  Reading:    Money  Collected  and  Spent  for  Temple  Repairs. 
2  Chron.  34:8-13. 

Note  1.  The  Church  Budget.  A  budget  is  a  statement  of 
probable  revenues  and  expenditures  for  the  ensuing  year.  A 
church  budget  is  a  detailed  statement  prepared  by  the  church 
treasurer  or  finance  committee  of  the  several  sums  that  can 
reasonably  be  depended  on  to  constitute  the  church's  total 
income,  and  of  the  items  that  may  be  expected  to  enter  into 
its  total  disbursemicnts.  When  the  former  exceeds  the  latter, 
the  outlook  is  joyful;  when  they  approximately  balance,  the 
situation  is  regarded  as  satisfactory;  when  the  latter  exceeds 
the  former  to  a  marked  extent  it  means  a  deficit  which  must  be 
met  by  a  reduction  of  expenses  or  an  increased  income. 

Note  2.  Why  a  Budget  is  Necessary.  The  activities  of 
every  church  are  usually  classified  under  two  heads,  spiritual 
and  temporal — a  religious  side  and  a  business  side.  The  latter 
exists  for  the  sake  of  the  former.  No  matter  how  small  an  or- 
ganization may  be,  or  how  ideal  its  aims,  it  can  seldom  or  never 


Tweniy-one  Making    Up  a  ChuTck  Budget  133 

escape  expenditures  of  some  sort.  Making  provision  for  defray- 
ing this  cost  should  not  in  the  case  of  a  church  be  regarded  as 
secular  business,  but  as  a  part  of  the  Lord's  work,  altogether 
necessary,  dignified,  and  reUgious.  A  faithful  treasurer  and 
collector  whose  voice  is  never  heard  except  at  the  annual  busi- 
ness meeting,  but  who  faithfully  looks  after  the  finances  and 
church  accounts,  is  probably  doing  a  religious  work  equal  to 
that  of  the  member  who  warms  the  hearts  of  the  hearers  by  his 
fervor  in  the  prayer  meeting.  Each  is  a  member  of  the  body  of 
Christ  contributing  according  to  his  ability  to  the  welfare  of  the 
whole. 

In  a  small  church  the  business  side  may  be  a  comparatively 
simple  affair.  The  treasurer,  who  is  usually  also  the  collector, 
receives  and  disburses  the  funds,  keeps  the  accoimts  and  reports 
to  the  church  once  a  year,  or  oftener  if  required.  Its  affairs  go 
on  much  in  the  same  way  year  after  year,  revenues  and  expendi- 
tures average  up  about  the  same,  and  a  formal  budget  is  dis- 
pensed with.  Extraordinary  expenses  are  met  by  special 
appeals.     But  this  is  not  the  best  way  even  for  a  small  church. 

A  large  and  successful  city  church,  on  the  contrary,  is  a 
wholly  different  matter.  Its  management  is  a  distinctive  busi- 
ness that  requires  executive  ability,  financial  aptitude,  and 
technical  skill  of  a  high  order.  Its  income  is  derived  from  so 
many  sources,  and  its  expenditures  take  on  so  many  forms  and 
are  so  lil^ely  to  vary  from  year  to  year,  that  a  careful  adjustment 
of  disbursements  to  revenues  must  be  made  in  order  to  keep  it 
on  a  sound  basis.  In  churches  of  moderate  means  this  is  often 
neglected,  in  the  hope  that  any  deficit  at  the  end  of  the  year  will 
be  made  up  by  a  few  of  the  richer  members.  This  is  a  bad 
policy.  While  it  is  true  that  the  church  is  not,  like  a  factory 
or  a  store,  a  money-making  enterprise,  its  business  methods 
should  be  none  the  less  carefully  considered.  A  budget  sets 
before  a  church  a  definite  goal  to  be  reached.  It  prevents  the 
making  of  appropriations  for  which  there  are  no  prospective 
fimds.  It  helps  the  church  to  detect  unwise  and  disproportion- 
ate appropriations,  and  it  oftentimes  stimulates  the  members 
to  make  larger  offerings  for  objects  that  have  not  been  provided 
for  as  they  deserve. 

As  a  practical  illustration  of  the  benefit  of  a  budget  as  an 
essential  factor  in  a  sound  financial  policy  the  experience  of  a 
church  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  may  be  cited.  In  1911  the  financial 
methods  were  thoroughly  reorganized,  and  a  careful  budget 


134  The  Modern  Church  ^'''''" 

presented  to  the  church  alike  for  operating  expenses  and 
benevolences.  In  the  church  Year  Book  for  1912-1913  the 
finance  committee  reports,  "  A  successful  year.  For  the  first 
time  in  quite  a  number  of  years  we  are  to  close  the  financial  year 
without  a  deficit.  .  .  .  The  budget  system  has  resulted  in 
prompt  payment  of  bills  and  considerable  increase  in  the  nimi- 
ber  of  contributors."  In  fact,  after  paying  out  over  $7,000  for 
operating  expenses  there  was  left  an  unexpected  balance  of 
$720.58.  At  the  same  time  nearly  $2,000  was  raised  for  benevo- 
lences. The  committee  adds:  "  Loose  financial  management 
of  the  average  church,  restilting  in  deficits,  keeps  more  men  from 
our  churches  than  any  other  one  cause." 

Note  3.  Some  Tjrpical  Budgets.  As  concrete  examples  of 
church  budgets  a  few  are  here  tabulated  for  study  and  com- 
parison. Some  budgets  go  into  minute  details,  some  lump 
together  items  that  others  separate,  and  some  give  in  the 
briefest  way  only  the  chief  items  of  income  and  expense.  To 
avoid  overloading  the  table  with  a  multiplicity  of  items,  and  to 
facilitate  comparison,  seven  budgets  have  been  chosen  that 
permit  a  grouping  of  similar  details.  They  represent  churches 
of  several  denominations  with  memberships  ranging  from  two 
thousand  down  to  a  little  over  a  hundred,  and  incomes  from 
nearly  fifty  thousand  dollars  to  about  fifteen  hundred.  The 
names  or  locations  are  not  given,  but  the  following  descriptions 
will  assist  the  student  in  imderstanding  each  situation  more 
intelligently. 

I.  The  chief  institutional  church  in  one  of  the  largest  Eastern 
cities.  It  is  a  great  hive  of  religious  activities,  reaching  out  not 
only  for  strangers  near  at  hand,  but  enlisting  workers  from  many 
miles  around.  A  comparatively  small  part  of  its  income  is 
derived  from  invested  funds,  while  the  great  bulk  of  it  comes 
from  voluntary  offerings.  All  the  seats  are  free.  Sunday 
evenings  every  one  of  the  three  thousand  sittings  is  taken  a  few 
minutes  after  the  doors  are  opened.  Note  that  the  funds  for 
home  expenses  and  benevolences  are  not  separated,  and  that 
appropriations  are  made  from  the  total  receipts  as  needed. 
The  Sunday  school  appropriation  is  for  two  schools. 

II.  A  metropolitan  church  enjoying  a  good-sized  income. 
Observe  that  a  little  more  than  one-half  is  derived  from  pew 
rentals  and  plate  offerings,  while  the  large  balance  has  to  be 
made  up  by  voluntary  subscriptions.    This  budget  very  point- 


Twenty^e  Making    Up  a  Church  Budget  135 

edly  emphasizes  the  financial  obHgations  resting  on  the  congre- 
gation. 

III.  A  suburban  Eastern  church  situated  in  a  rich  residential 
community.  The  neighborhood  has  as  yet  been  only  Hghtly 
touched  by  the  erection  of  apartment  houses,  and  the  evils  of  a 
floating  population.  The  income  is  almost  entirely  derived 
from  pew  rentals  and  plate  offerings.  A  remarkable  part  of 
this  budget  is  its  benevolences,  which  are  nearly  twice  as  large 
as  its  operating  expenses.  The  contributions  to  foreign,  home, 
and  city  missions  amount  to  over  $12,000,  and  .a  local  hospital 
is  cared  for  to  the  extent  of  $4,500. 

IV.  A  suburban  Western  church  surrotmded  by  a  substantial 
residential  population.  Here  also  subscriptions  amounting  to 
about  one-third  of  the  operating  expenses  are  called  for. 

V.  An  Eastern  suburban  church  situated  in  a  wealthy  com- 
munity where  individual  homes  are  being  rapidly  displaced  by 
high-class  apartment  houses  and  a  drifting  population.  The 
church  feels  the  instability  of  a  support  derived  from  such  a 
source.  A  year  ago  it  made  up  a  budget  based  on  the  income 
for  the  preceding  year.  Without  any  apparent  reason  a  slimip 
in  the  income  followed,  so  that  the  present  budget,  after  scaling 
down  expenses  to  the  last  limit,  still  faces  a  deficit  of  $1,575. 
The  church  a  few  years  ago  shifted  from  rented  to  free  pews. 
This  probably  explains  the  deficit  at  least  in  part. 

VI.  An  active  average  church  in  a  small  Pennsylvania  mining 
city.  Under  **  All  other  expenses  "  are  included  nearly  $600 
for  the  payment  on  a  debt,  and  $1,350  for  reduction  of  principal. 

VII.  This  is  a  small  church  in  a  somewhat  somnolent  New 
England  village.  Like  the  other  Protestant  churches  in  the 
place,  it  has  for  a  score  of  years  held  on  the  even  tenor  of  its 
way.  It  is  typical  of  a  great  multitude  of  similar  churches  that 
arnidst  many  discouragements  and  difficulties  are  exerting  a 
spiritually  leavening  influence  on  their  surroundings.  How  the 
$374  shortage  is  to  be  made  up  the  treasurer  does  not  know,  but 
trusts  to  Providence. 


136 


The  Modern  Church 


Lesson 


COMPARATIVE    TABLE    OF    CHURCH    BUDGETS 


Estimated  Receipts 

/ 

II 

III 

IV 

V 

VI 

VII 

Pew  rentals                 

$14,300 

13,300 

3,200 

14,200 

$8,400 
1,200 

9,145 

$11,300 
200 
800 
190 
550 

$7,400 

1,300 

500 
4.321 

$6,600 
1,000 

1,575 

$2,600 
375 

2,400 

Weekly  pledges 

<620 

165 

Interest  from  invested  funds .  . 

From  all  other  sources 

Additional  income  needed.  .  .  . 

200 
185 

374 

Total  estimated  receipts. .  .  . 

$45,000 

$18,745 

$13,040 

$13,431 

$9,175 

$5,375 

$1,544 

Estitnated  Ope>-ating  Expenses 

Pastor's  salary,  assistant  pas- 
tor, church  visitors,  and 
pulpit  supplies 

Music 

Sexton 

Fuel  and  lights 

Printing 

Sunday  school,  or  schools 

All  other  expenses 

Total  estimated  expenses .  .  . 


$14,000 

$7,800 

$5,180 

$4,250 

$5,000 

$1,820 

6,500 

4,150 

3,500 

3,000 

1,000 

125 

1,500 

1,000 

720 

1,000 

200 

875 

1,300 

750 

800 

140 

1,300 

710 

230 

225 

300 

110 

(2)    (750 

500 

1,750 

650 

10,950 

3.210 

1,280 

3,836 

1,075 

2,900 

$34,500 

$18,745 

$13,040 

$13,431 

$9,175 

$5,375 

$1,000 

130 

100 

160 

42 


112 


$1,544 


Estimated  Benevolences 

$10,500 

$23,000 

$26,000 

$7,000 

$3,500 

$400 

$150 

Total  amounts  needed .... 

$45,000 

$42,745 

$39,040 

$20,431 

$12,675 

$5,775 

$1,694 

Note  4.     Some   Deductions   from   the   Preceding  Budgets. 

The  most  conspicuous  feature  in  all  these  budgets  is  the  empha- 
sis placed  on  the  preaching  function  of  the  church.  This 
includes  not  only  the  salaries  of  ministers  and  assistants,  but 
music  and  seventy-five  to  ninety  per  cent  of  the  remaining 
expenses.  The  finances  of  the  church  are  organized  around 
the  sermon  as  the  building  is  around  the  vast  auditoritmi  that 
stands  empty  all  but  a  couple  of  hours  in  the  week.  Every- 
thing else  is  subordinate  to  that.  All  this  is  a  survival  from 
ages  in  which  the  public  proclamation  of  religious  truth  was 
regarded  as  virtually  the  sole  duty  of  the  church. 

A  second  conspicuous  feature  is  the  insignificant  place  given 
to  the  teaching  function.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  in 
modem  Protestant  churches  eighty-three  per  cent  of  the  addi- 
tions come  directly  from  the  Sunday  school,  this  department, 
where  it  is  not  left  to  shift  for  itself,  receives  only  an  insignificant 
fraction  of  the  funds.  Its  supplies,  besides  being  stinted,  are 
often  the  cheapest  in  the  market.     Not  only  so,  but,  the  major 


Twenty-o7te  Making   Up  a  Church  Bttdget  137 

part  of  its  contributions  are  diverted  to  outside  enterprises 
which,  however  worthy,  are  in  many  instances  not  nearly  so 
much  in  need  of  support  as  the  school  itself.  No  one  denies 
that  the  pupils  should  be  trained  to  consider  other  interests 
than  their  own,  but  not  until  the  school  itself  has  been  provided 
for  in  a  degree  somewhat  commensurate  with  its  importance. 
The  table  shows  that  the  seven  churches  there  represented 
estimated  their  operating  expenses  for  pulpits  and  music  alone 
at  $57,649  and  the  appropriations  for  the  Sunday  school  at 
$3,350,  or  respectively  a  little  under  ninety-five  per  cent  and  a 
little  over  five  per  cent.  Three  of  them  gave  nothing  for  the 
support  of  the  school. 

There  is  a  growing  opinion  that  the  Sunday  school  should 
not  pay  directly  for  its  o\\ti  support,  but  into  the  church  funds 
from  which  liberal  appropriations  should  be  made  for  the 
school  expenses.  The  growing  custom  on  the  part  of  Stmday 
schools  of  giving  to  missions  and  philanthropies  is  a  distinct 
educational  advance. 

Detailed  estimates  of  benevolences  cannot  be  given.  If  they 
were  available,  they  would  show  that  while  the  churches  are 
awake  to  the  importance  of  missions,  their  interest  in  social 
reforms  has  only  occasionally  begun  to  reveal  itself  in  the  budg- 
ets. The  exceptions  are  the  larger  and  wealthier  city  churches 
whose  great  endowments  enable  them  to  engage  in  social  and 
philanthropic  work  on  a  somewhat  extensive  scale. 

Other  instructive  showings  are  made  by  these  budgets,  but 
limitations  of  space  permit  noticing  only  one  more.  The  esti- 
mated benevolences  are  $70,550,  of  which  approximately  $60,000 
will  be  given  for  missions  of  all  kinds  all  over  the  world.  Nobody 
who  knows  the  value  of  this  work,  so  far  from  begrudging  a 
cent  of  it,  but  wishes  the  amount  were  ten  times  as  great. 
But  in  none  of  these  budgets  is  a  single  dollar  specifically  ap- 
propriated to  the  solution  of  the  boy  problem  which  lies  at  the 
door  of  every  church,  and  is  one  of  the  most  important  that  the 
church  faces,  and  which  so  far  as  any  effort  is  made  to  solve  it 
is  usually  dependent  on  the  scanty  pennies  of  the  boys  them- 
selves. Suppose  only  five  per  cent  of  the  money  now  spent  for 
preaching  and  music  were  spent  in  devices  for  holding  boys  at 
the  age  when  they  are  most  susceptible  to  religious  influences, 
and  when  they  are  also  most  likely  to  drift  away;  it  would 
require  no  prophet  to  foretell  that  a  long  step  had  been  taken, 
toward  the  solution  of  the  boy  problem, 


138  The  Modern  Church  -^"^o" 

As  the  Master  sits  over  against  the  church  treasiiry  to-day 
watching  the  disposition  of  church  funds,  may  He  not  have 
occasion  to  say  with  sadness,  "  These  ought  ye  to  have  done, 
and  not  to  leave  the  others  undone  "  ? 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

Literature  on  the  subject  treated  in  this  lesson  is  not  easily  obtained. 
Little  seems  to  have  been  written  on  it.  The  chief  material  is  a  study  of 
actual  budgets. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

L  How  does  a  pastor's  parish  work  compare  in  importance  with  his 
pulpit  work? 

2.  In  what  respect  is  a  pastor's  parish  work  different  now  from  what  it 
used  to  be? 

3.  How  does  a  pastor's  parish  work  bring  him  very  close  to  his  people? 

4.  How  can  the  young  people  of  the  parish  benefit  themselves  by  culti- 
vating intimate  relations  with  the  pastor? 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  is  a  church  budget? 


2.  Should  the  administration  of  church  business  be  regarded  as  religious 
work? 


3.  Why  are  budgets  commonly  dispensed  with  in  small  churches?     Is 
this  wise? 


4.  Why  are  they  needed  in  large  churches? 


5.  What  is  the  most  conspicuous  feature  on  the  expense  side  of  every 
church  budget? 


6.  Judging  by  the  usual  budgets,  what  estimate  is  placed  on  the  Sunday 
school  as  compared  with  the  preaching  service? 


Twenty-iwo  Raising  Church  Funds  139 

7.  What  do  budgets  suggest  as  to  any  appreciation  by  the  churches  of 
responsibility  for  social  and  philanthropic  reform? 


8.  What  extraordinary  neglect  is  revealed  in  all  the  budgets  tabulated  in 
the  lesson? 


9.  What  other  defective  disproportionate  use  of  funds  would  you  suggest? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Does  your  church  treasurer  or  finance  committee  present  a  budget 
at  the  annual  business  meeting?  If  not,  why  not?  If  so,  study  it  and 
form  your  own  opinion  of  it. 

2.  If  none  is  presented,  get  the  treasurer's  report  for  last  year's  receipts 
and  expenditures  and  prepare  a  tentative  budget  for  the  next  year,  such  as 
you  would  have  presented  if  you  had  been  in  his  place. 

3.  How  much  does  your  church  appropriate  for  the  support  of  the 
Sunday  school? 

4.  How  does  this  amount  compare  with  that  appropriated  for  preaching 
and  music? 

5.  How  do  the  total  expenses  of  the  school  compare  with  its  contributions 
to  benevolences? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Should  every  church,  large  or  small,  be  presented  with  a  budget  at 
the  beginning  of  each  financial  year? 

2.  Which  item  of  expenditure  in  your  church  brings  the  largest  results 
per  dollar? 

3.  Which  item  brings  the  smallest  results  per  dollar? 

4.  Why  are  not  churches  more  businesslike? 


Lessson22.    RAISING  CHURCH  FUNDS. 

Scripture  Reading:  Riiles  for  Christian  Giving.     1  Cor.  16:  2;  2  Cor.  ch.  9. 

Note  1.  The  Twofold  Object  of  Church  Funds.  The  first 
financial  duty  of  a  church  is  to  provide  for  its  own  running 
expenses.     The  fixed  charges  include,  as  seen  in  the  budgets 


140  The  Modern  Church  ^^''^^ 

presented  in  the  previous  lesson,  the  salaries  of  minister,  organ- 
ist, and  janitor,  pulpit  supplies  during  summer  vacation,  fuel, 
light,  insurance,  and  incidentals.  To  these  must  be  added,  as 
far  as  the  church  desires  and  can  afford,  many  other  items,  such 
as  a  choir,  weekly  calendars,  Sunday  school  supplies  where  the 
church  pays  for  them,  power,  whether  a  boy,  water,  or  elec- 
tricity, to  pump  the  organ,  compensation  for  the  services  of  the 
treasurer  and  collector,  and  so  forth.  These  expenses  must  be 
met  by  the  church  before  it  can  respond  to  outside  calls. 

The  church  that  lives  simply  for  itself,  however,  is  as  surely 
doomed  to  moral  and  spiritual  decay  as  the  individual  who 
centers  all  his  thought  and  efforts  on  himself.  When  the  home 
expenses  have  been  met  as  liberally  as  the  revenues  of  the  church 
allow,  the  further  obligation  arises  of  contributing  to  such  re- 
ligious and  philanthropic  enterprises  as  make  for  social  better- 
ment and  the  coming  of  God's  kingdom.  The  sums  contributed 
to  missions  of  all  kinds,  education,  ministerial  aid,  hospitals, 
relief  of  the  poor,  and  a  score  of  similar  agencies  are  usually 
designated  by  the  collective  term  "  Church  Benevolences." 

Note  2.  Raising  Church  Funds  by  Taxation.  In  the  early 
colonial  days  when  the  churches  of  the  established  order  formed 
an  integral  part  of  the  community  the  expense  of  maintaining 
them  was  borne  by  a  tax  on  the  property  holders  in  the  town  or 
parish.  This  is  still  the  case  in  European  countries  that  retain 
established  churches.  In  those  countries  people  who  separate 
themselves  from  the  establishment  are  called  "  dissenters,"  and 
support  not  only  their  own  churches  by  voluntary  offerings, 
but  are  taxed  for  the  support  of  churches  in  which  they  do  not 
believe. 

The  support  of  religious  organizations  by  funds  taken  from 
the  general  tax  levy  is  contrary  to  the  accepted  policy  of  our 
government  whether  National  or  State.  All  religious  bodies  are 
thrown  upon  their  own  resources  in  sustaining  and  promoting 
their  distinctive  beliefs.  Aside  from  efforts  on  the  part  of 
certain  religionists  to  evade  this  prohibition  by  obtaining  public 
support  for  some  of  their  sectarian  institutions,  the  law  receives 
universal  approbation,  and  has  proved  its  wisdom  in  the  in- 
creased spirituality  and  devotion  of  the  churches. 

Note  3.  Raising  Church  Funds  by  Rental  of  Pews.  Until 
recent  years  Protestant  churches  have  commonly  relied  on  pew 
rents  for  an  income,  the  most  desirable  pews  being  rented  at 


Twenty-two  Raising  Church  Funds  141 

the  highest  price.  It  is  probable  that  this  system  is  still  re- 
tained by  a  large  majority  of  the  churches,  but  modified  in 
some  cases  by  making  all  the  sittings  free  at  the  evening  service. 
The  advantages  of  the  system  are  that  it  provides  a  fairly  stable 
revenue,  that  this  revenue  can  be  adjusted  to  the  financial 
needs  of  the  church  by  increasing  or  lowering  the  price  of  pews 
or  sittings,  and  that  by  a  graduated  scale  of  prices  it  adapts 
itself  to  the  abilities  of  the  poor  as  well  as  the  rich. 

The  objections  to  the  system  are  that  it  sets  people  apart  in 
the  church  on  the  basis  of  worldly  possessions,  and  thus  tends  to 
drive  away  the  laboring  people  who  feel  that  with  their  meagre 
wages  they  cannot  afford  to  pay  pew  rent.  Sometimes  this 
may  be  the  case,  but  often  it  is  a  mere  pretext  for  staying  away 
from  the  churches.  Secondly,  it  throws  on  the  minister  the 
responsibility  of  filling  the  pews  so  as  to  provide  an  income. 
If  the  minister  is  a  preacher  of  only  moderate  abilities,  he  is 
sorely  tempted  to  resort  to  sensations  to  attract  auditors. 
Thirdly,  the  churches  themselves  are  tempted  to  engage  in  an 
ignoble  rivalry  for  preachers  with  shining  pulpit  gifts,  and  to 
value  their  ministers  chiefly  by  their  ability  as  money  getters 
for  the  church  treasury. 

An  ahnost  obsolete  form  of  this  pew  system  survives  in  some 
of  the  older  portions  of  the  country.  In  purchasing  land  and 
building  for  a  church  edifice  a  century  or  so  ago  the  necessary 
funds  were  sometimes  raised  in  whole  or  in  part  by  selling  the 
pews  outright  to  the  members  of  the  congregation,  who  trans- 
mitted them  to  their  heirs  the  same  as  any  other  real  estate. 
If  the  church  happened  to  be  situated  in  what  has  now  become 
the  congested  business  section  of  a  great  city,  the  pews  have 
become  worth  from  ten  to  fifteen  thousand  dollars  each,  owing 
to  the  enormously  increased  value  of  the  land,  so  that  the  owners 
in  order  to  retain  them  are  willing  to  pay  a  big  annual  assessment 
instead  of  the  moderate  tax  levied  at  first. 

Note  4.    Raising  Church  Funds  by  Voluntary  Contributions. 

The  evils  attending  the  pew  rental  system  have  frequently 
become  so  acute  as  to  lead  many  churches  to  abandon  it  in 
favor  of  free  pews.  In  Roman  Catholic  churches  the  sittings 
are  free  in  the  sense  that  the  worshiper  is  free  to  sit  where  he 
pleases.  But  before  he  exercises  this  liberty  he  must  pass  at 
the  entrance  to  each  aisle  a  man  seated  at  a  table  on  which  he  is 
expected  to  deposit  at  least  the  tariff  fixed  for  that  particular 


142  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°« 

hour.  This  is  lower  for  the  early  morning  services  attended 
mostly  by  laborers  and  servants,  and  higher  for  the  well-to-do 
who  come  at  the  later  and  more  fashionable  hours.  Such  a 
system  is  practicable  only  in  churches  ruled  by  an  autocratic 
hierarchy. 

In  Protestant  churches  that  have  substituted  free  pews  for 
rented,  the  change  has  been  made  in  some  such  way  as  this: 
First  of  all,  the  pewholders  are  asked  to  sign  cards  pledging 
themselves  to  give  in  weekly  or  quarterly  payments  at  least  as 
much  as  will  aggregate  for  the  year  a  sum  equal  to  their  previous 
pew  rents.  Then  every  member  of  the  church  who  has  not 
hired  a  sitting  is  urged  to  pledge,  for  the  current  expenses  and 
benevolences,  weekly  offerings  however  small.  Quarterly  pay- 
ments are  acceptable,  if  more  convenient,  as  they  are  likely  to 
be  in  the  case  of  non-residents.  These  cards  should  be  returned 
before  the  annual  business  meeting,  so  that  the  church  can  then 
know  how  much  it  has  of  promised  income  on  which  to  base 
appropriations  for  the  ensuing  year. 

To  facilitate  the  presentation  of  the  offerings,  to  serve  as 
constant  reminders,  to  enable  the  giver  to  note  omissions,  and 
to  enable  the  treasurer  to  keep  an  account  with  each  contributor, 
sets  of  fifty-two  envelopes  for  church  expenses  and  fifty-two  for 
benevolences  are  provided,  or  a  single  "  duplex  envelope  "  with 
two  compartments.  These  are  dated  for  each  Sunday  in  the 
year,  numbered  with  the  donor's  number,  and  marked  by  him 
with  the  amotmt  inclosed.  The  system  is  simple  and  effective. 
Almost  always  it  serves  to  increase  the  annual  income.  It  is 
in  accord  with  the  Apostolic  directions  in  1  Cor.  16:2.  Those 
who  have  for  years  rented  certain  pews  or  sittings  are  usually 
given  the  privilege  of  occupying  the  same,  with  the  understand- 
ing, of  course,  that  if  they  come  late  and  find  strangers  in  their 
accustomed  places,  they  are  to  seat  themselves  where  they  can 
without  complaint.  Members  of  the  church  and  other  regular 
attendants  will  feel  that,  however  small  their  offering,  they  are 
entitled  to  a  seat,  since  they  are  helping  to  sustain  the  worship. 

A  difficulty  experienced  in  any  method  of  raising  church 
funds  is  that  of  getting  all  the  members  to  pay  as  they  are  able. 
Sometimes  those  who  are  least  able  pay  most  according  to  their 
means,  while  those  who  are  most  able  give  the  least,  or,  in  some 
cases,  nothing  at  all.  To  participate  in  the  benefits  of  the 
church  without  contributing  to  its  support  is  the  meanest  kind 
of  petty  graft. 


Twenty-iwo  Raising  Church  Funds  143 

Tithing  is  a  system  of  raising  iimds  for  religious  piirposes, 
compulsory  under  the  Old  Testament,  but  volimtary  under  the 
New.  It  consists  in  setting  apart  one-tenth  of  one's  entire  in- 
come for  religious  and  charitable  purposes.  It  is  earnestly 
advocated  by  many  Christians  who  themselves  joyfully  practice 
it.  The  injustice  of  the  system  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  smaller 
the  income,  the  bigger  becomes  the  practical  value  of  the  tenth. 
A  rich  man  may  give  a  tenth  or  a  half  of  his  income  and  still 
have  enough  left  to  enable  his  family  to  live  in  luxury,  whereas 
for  a  poor  man  to  give  a  tenth  may  involve  severe  suffering. 

Note  5.     The    Apportionment    System    for    Benevolences. 

Under  the  pew  rental  system  the  income  from  this  source  is 
understood  to  be  used  to  meet  the  current  expenses  of  the 
church.  Contributions  for  missions  and  other  outside  objects 
are  taken  at  appointed  times,  preceded  by  a  more  or  less  urgent 
appeal  from  the  pastor.  This  method  is  quite  uncertain  as  to 
results.  It  may  be  a  rainy  Sunday,  or  the  pastor  may  be 
absent,  or  if  present  may  content  himself  with  a  simple  an- 
nouncement and  the  result  is  a  small  collection.  At  the  same 
time  the  great  missionary  enterprises  are  constantly  expanding, 
calling  for  more  men  and  more  money.  Oftentimes  the  mission- 
ary societies,  administered  with  the  utmost  foresight  and  wis- 
dom, have  found  themselves  facing  large  deficits  at  the  end  of 
the  fiscal  year.  Urgent  appeals  have  been  issued  to  the  churches, 
and  possibly  at  the  last  moment  the  deficiency  has  been  made 
up,  and  then  the  strain  is  followed  by  a  reaction.  Sometimes 
the  deficiency  is  carried  on,  increasing  in  magnitude  from  year 
to  year  imtil  at  length  to  avoid  bankruptcy  the  denomination 
by  a  desperate  effort  clears  it  away. 

In  place  of  this  haphazard  and  nerve-racking  method,  most 
of  the  larger  denominations  have  now  introduced  the  plan  of 
apportioning  to  each  church,  according  to  some  fixed  principles, 
its  just  share  of  the  common  task.  The  results  are  almost  al- 
ways favorable.  The  churches  having  a  definite  task  set 
before  them,  and  a  whole  year  in  which  to  accomplish  it,  are 
stimulated  to  systematic  effort.  In  some  cases  they  fall  short, 
in  others  the  assigned  amount  is  exceeded.  A  fine  illustration 
of  the  latter  is  given  in  the  case  of  a  small  Baptist  church  that 
had  been  in  the  habit  of  giving  $25  to  foreign  and  $10  to  home 
missions  each  year.  Quarterly  collections  for  this  purpose  were 
taken.     Owing  to  illness  the  pastor  was  absent  several  months 


144  The  Modern  Church  -^^"^^ 

and  the  collections  were  omitted.  At  Christmas  a  strong 
appeal  was  made,  with  the  resiilt  that  $100  were  given,  all  of 
which  was  sent  to  the  foreign  missionary  society.  The  next 
year  the  apportionment  system  went  into  effect,  and  on  the 
basis  of  the  last  contribution  the  foreign  mission  society  asked 
for  $102,  the  home  mission  society  for  $100,  and  other  societies 
in  proportion,  making  a  benevolent  budget  for  the  little  church 
of  $260.  To  the  astonishment  of  the  church  itself,  the  entire 
amount  has  been  raised,  and  it  continues  to  raise  its  yearly 
apportionment,  which  has  now  grown  to  about  $360.  Such  a 
case  is  exceptional,  but  it  shows  to  some  extent  what  most 
churches  might  do  by  a  hearty  response  to  the  apportionment 
plan.  The  gradually  increasing  apportionment  provides  for  a 
gradual  enlargement  of  the  work  to  be  done.  As  the  plan 
works  almost  automatically,  a  large  portion  of  the  previous 
expense  of  collecting  the  money  from  the  churches  is  saved 
annually  by  the  various  societies. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Dr.  Gladden  in  The  Christian  Pastor  and  the  Working  Church,  pp. 
206-209  discusses  in  a  general  way  pew  renting  and  free  seats.  (2)  Cope: 
The  Modern  Sunday-School  in  Principle  and  Practice,  pp.  151-160,  in  dis- 
cussing Sunday  school  finances,  says  many  things  equally  applicable  to 
those  of  the  church. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  is  a  church  budget? 

2.  Give  some  reasons  why  a  church  budget  is  necessary. 

3.  What  place  is  always  occupied  by  the  pubhc  worship? 

4.  What  place  is  occupied  by  the  Sunday  school? 

5.  Mention  some  of  the  usually  significant  omissions. 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE   LESSON. 

1.  What  are  the  two  main  objects  for  which  churches  provide  funds? 


2.  How  were  church  expenses  provided  for  in  colonial  days? 

3.  Why  is  such  a  method  not  available  now? 


4.  What  advantages  are  prresented  by  the  pew  rental  system  of  raising 
funds? 


Twemy.iwo  Raising  Church  Funds  145 

5.  What  are  its  disadvantages? 


6,  Describe  the  advantages  reaped  by  some  churches  from  the  unearned 
increment  in  land  values. 


7.  How  do  Roman  Catholic  churches  raise  funds  under  a  system  of  free 
pews? 


8.  How,  under  this  system,  do  Protestant  churches  obtain  an  income? 


9.  What  conditions  led  to  the  introduction  of  the  apportionment  system 
in  raising  funds  for  church  benevolences? 


10.  How,  in  general,  has  this  plan  operated! 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  does  your  own  church  provide  for  its  current  expenses? 

2.  How,  for  its  benevolences? 

3.  Study  the  subject  of  "  Tithing  "  in  the  Old  Testament.     Consult 
articles  on  "  Tithes  "  in  Bible  Dictionaries. 

4.  Study  the  New  Testament  law  of  giving  as  formulated  by  Paul  in  the 
Scripture  references  at  the  head  of  this  lesson. 

6.  Are  you  honestly  giving  what  you  believe  to  be  your  duty  in  helping 
to  carry  forward  the  work  of  the  kingdom  of  God? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  How  can  church  members  be  trained  to  systematic  and  generous 
giving? 

2.  How  is  a  liberal  endowment  likely  to  affect  a  church? 

3.  Does  the  tithing  system  press  equally  on  the  rich  and  the  poor? 

4.  When  does  one  get  the  greatest  pleasure  out  of  giving? 


146  The  Modern  Church  ^"^o« 

Part  II.    NEW  MOVEMENTS  AND  METHODS 

WITHIN  THE  CHURCH. 

Lesson  23.     THE  BOY  PROBLEM. 

Scripture  Reading:  Strength  the  Characteristic  of  Young  Men. 
1  John  2:  12-17. 

Note  1.  Nature  of  the  Boy  Problem.  Not  long  ago  boys 
were  judged  and  treated  wholly  from  the  adult  point  of  view. 
If  a  boy  shied  a  stone  through  a  street  lamp,  for  example,  the 
act  was  regarded  as  due  to  wanton  wickedness.  Of  course, 
breaking  street  lamps  is  not  to  be  condoned  in  any  circum- 
stances. It  entails  expense  and  inconvenience  to  the  commu- 
nity. Judged  by  the  adu^J:  standard,  it  is  very  exasperating,  and 
the  boy  who  does  so  is  rated  as  a  bad  boy.  Possibly,  however, 
the  young  lamp  breaker  may  not  be  bad  at  heart.  He  merely 
judges  the  act  by  a  different  standard.  The  task  of  a  wise 
teacher,  therefore,  is,  not  to  try  to  flog  him  into  being  a  good 
boy,  but  to  discover  his  point  of  view  and  to  displace  it  by  a 
better  one.  This  is  the  principle  that  underlies  the  whole 
system  of  modem  education.  Childhood  and  youth  are  studied, 
first,  to  discover  the  laws  of  their  expanding  life,  and,  secondly, 
to  bring  educational  methods  into  conformity  with  these  laws. 

Religious  workers  have  been  slow  to  take  advantage  of  the 
results  of  this  study.  They  have  earnestly  desired  to  help  the 
young  people  under  their  care,  but  their  micthods,  designed  for 
grown-up  people,  have  not  been  suited  to  the  needs  of  the  young. 
Boys,  especially,  have  often  been  driven  away  from  religious 
influences  as  incorrigibles  because  parents  or  teachers  did  not 
understand  their  moral  and  mental  nature,  and  did  not  know 
how  to  approach  them  along  the  lines  of  least  resistance. 

The  boy  problem,  as  defined  by  Prof.  George  A.  Coe,  is  that 
"  of  helping  the  boy  over  from  control  by  parental  authority 
(and  teacher-authority)  to  socialized  self-control.  The  whole 
problem  arises  from  the  necessity  that  control  should  he  trans- 
ferred,  Transfer  cannot  be  prevented,  ought  not  to  be  pre- 
vented, but  it  ought  to  be  guided."  The  boy  problem  as  re- 
lated to  the  churches  is  simply  this:  To  keep  religion  within 
the  natural  life  of  the  hoy,  and  to  keep  it  growing  toward  full, 
manly  devotion  to  the  Christian  life  purpose.  Hence  the  im- 
portance of  the  boy's  natural  life — his  play  life;  particularly 
his  gang  life,  which  offers  a  peculiar  opportunity  for  socializa- 
tion.    Boys  like  to  have  a  man  for  gang  leader. 


Twenty-three  xkc  Boy  Problem  147 

Note  2.    Psychological  Elements  in  the  Boy  Problem.    A 

study  of  the  life  of  children  and  youth  between  birth  and  ma- 
turity shows  that  it  may  be  divided  into  four  stages:  infancy, 
childhood,  boyhood  and  girlhood,  and  youth  or  adolescence. 
The  last  of  these  begins  about  the  twelfth  year  and  extends  to 
adult  age,  reached  by  females  at  about  twenty-one  and  by  males 
at  about  twenty-five.  Until  they  approach  adolescence,  boys 
and  girls  reveal  few  marked  differences,  but  after  that  the  lines 
of  distinctive  physical  and  mental  development  diverge  rapidly. 

The  boy  who  constitutes  our  problem  may  be  placed  be- 
tween the  ages  of  nine  and  eighteen.  At  the  opening  of  this 
period  he  begins  to  be  conscious  of  his  own  individuality,  he 
feels  more  and  more  his  importance,  and  reacts  against  external 
authority.  He  becomes  aggravatingly  independent,  chafes  at 
domestic  control,  and  is  filled  with  longings  for  a  life  of  his  own. 
Not  tmfrequently  he  arms  himself  with  a  gun,  a  big  knife,  and 
a  hatchet  and  sets  out  on  a  wild  chase  after  the  freedom  and 
joy  of  a  barbarian  life.  He  wants  to  be  an  Indian  or  anything 
else  that  takes  him  away  from  the  restraints  of  civilization. 
This  period  extends  from  about  nine  to  twelve. 

This  time  of  exaggerated  self -consciousness  yields  presently 
to  a  longing  for  comradeship.  This  leads  to  the  organization 
of  groups  or  gangs.  The  gang  becomes  to  the  boy  the  embodi- 
ment of  social  authority,  and  loyalty  to  its  members  is  his  ideal 
of  law  and  duty.  This  repetition  of  the  racial  tribal  period 
with  its  braves  and  chieftains,  allowing  for  overlapping,  lasts 
usually  from  ten  to  fourteen  years  of  age. 

From  about  thirteen  to  fifteen  the  boy  lives  in  the  happy  days 
of  romance  and  chivalry.  He  has  a  great  admiration  for  the 
bigger,  stronger  boy  and  yields  him  ready  obedience.  Concrete 
examples  of  courage  and  knightly  achievement  appeal  to  his 
imagination.  The  great  heroes  of  history  are  his  ideals.  His 
hopes  for  the  future  are  bright  and  strong.  He  lives  in  his 
imagination.    He  now  repeats  in  a  general  way  the  feudal  period. 

In  the  high  school  age  between  fifteen  and  eighteen,  the  boy 
emerges  into  the  self-assertive  stage,  when  reliance  on  his  own 
powers  is  gained  through  struggle.  He  finds  that  things  worth 
doing  or  having  are  not  won  by  dreaming  about  them,  or  by 
acquiescing  in  some  one  else's  leadership.  He  must  decide  for 
himself  what  is  best  to  do,  and  exercise  his  own  powers  in  reach- 
ing results.  His  own  personality  is  the  center  about  which  his 
thoughts  and  ambitions  revolve. 


148  The  Modern  Church  ^''"^^ 

Between  eighteen  and  twenty-five,  tiie  college  age,  the  youth 
discovers  that  he  cannot  reahze  his  high  purposes  in  life  by 
working  alone.  He  is  living  in  the  midst  of  an  organized  social 
order  in  which  cooperation  is  the  fundamental  law.  His  allegi- 
ance is  transferred  from  himself  to  the  state,  and  according  to 
its  laws  he  must  govern  himself. 

We  see,  then,  that  the  whole  period  of  adolescence  is  one  of 
rapid  and  revolutionary  changes,  of  shifting  aims  and  purposes, 
of  struggle  for  self-mastery,  of  high  ideals,  of  longing  for  sympa- 
thy, comradeship,  and  love,  and  of  keen  susceptibility  to  all 
that  is  true,  beautiful,  and  good.  The  boy's  moral  sense  is  so 
evenly  balanced  that  his  life  easily  swings  either  toward  or 
away  from  religion.  He  needs  intelligent  guidance  and  sympa- 
thetic encouragement,  but  to  be  effective  this  must  be  given, 
not  by  nagging,  or  abstract  argument,  or  by  declaiming  against 
his  sinfulness,  but  by  personal  example,  and  by  devices  that 
appeal  to  his  instinctive  activities  and  rapidly  shifting  interests. 

Note  3.     The  Critical  Age.     The  period  of  adolescence,  but 

more  especially  the  central  years  between  thirteen  and  eighteen, 
forms  a  critical  part  of  a  boy's  life,  when  considered  from  a  re- 
ligious point  of  view.  One  of  the  best-known  and  most  deplored 
facts  in  Stmday  school  work  is  that  so  few  boys  remain  in  the 
school  after  they  reach  the  age  of  fifteen,  just  when  they  are 
most  susceptible  to  religious  influences.  Before  that  they  are 
held,  indeed,  but  with  a  constantly  increasing  tendency  to  drift 
away.  A  comparison  of  methods  usually  employed  with  the 
mental  and  moral  tendencies  of  boys  at  that  age  shows  how 
unsuited  they  are  to  win  his  attention.  Authority  is  invoked, 
but  not  the  kind  for  which  as  yet  he  has  developed  respect; 
Biblical  history  is  taught,  but  only  in  rare  instances  are  lessons 
based  on  passages  that  appeal  to  his  heroic  or  chivalrous  in- 
stincts; religious  doctrines  are  inculcated,  but  he  cares  nothing 
about  them.  The  fact  is  that  the  subjects  taught  and  the 
methods  employed  in  teaching  them  have  all  been  derived  from 
an  adult  world  which  the  boy  has  not  yet  entered,  and  which 
he  does  not  understand.  The  work  of  the  Sunday  school  be- 
comes increiasingly  repugnant,  and  this  combined  with  his 
growing  struggle  to  be  master  of  himself  presently  brings  him  to 
a  point  where  he  breaks  with  the  school.  This  is  the  religious 
crisis  in  the  boy's  life  which  in  the  great  majority  of  instances 
results  disastrously,  simply  for  lack  of  intelligent  guidance. 


Twenty-three  jj^^  ^oy  Problem  149 

Whatever  success  has  attended  the  old  method  has  been  won  by 
those  whose  love  for  boys  and  intuitive  insight  into  their  natiire 
have  enabled  them  instinctively  to  employ  right  methods. 

Note  4.  Attempted  Solutions  of  the  Boy  Problem.  Many 
persons  ignorant  of  the  results  of  modem  child  study  have 
wondered  at  and  expressed  their  disapproval  of  certain  modem 
methods  introduced  to  hold  the  boys.  These  methods  have 
seemed  to  them  both  pitiably  childish  and  hopelessly  complex 
in  comparison  with  the  old  imiform  lesson  and  the  stimulating 
prizes  offered  for  the  memorizing  of  Scripture.  And  yet  these 
very  methods  have  in  each  case  been  patiently  and  carefully 
worked  out  by  students  of  boy  life  who  in  every  device  adopted 
have  had  before  their  minds  some  distinctive  impulse  of  the 
boy. 

Such  an  attempted  solution  is  the  Order  of  the  Knights  of 
King  Arthur,  with  its  strong  appeal  to  the  heroic  and  chivalrous 
spirit,  to  the  love  for  comradeship,  passwords,  ritual  and  cere- 
monies. Such,  too,  is  the  Order  of  the  Knights  of  the  Holy 
Grail  which  combines  with  all  these  features  the  Boy  Scout 
Movement,  and  thus  brings  into  play  the  boy's  love  of  wood- 
craft and  animal  life.  The  fact  that  the  latter  organization  in  a 
short  time  has  reached  a  membership  of  seventy  thousand,  and 
is  trebling  the  attendance  of  boys  in  church  and  Sunday  school, 
shows  that  it  has  struck  a  responsive  chord.  Such  is  the  Big 
Brother  Movement  which  aims  to  save  boys  brought  before 
the  juvenile  courts  by  giving  to  each  of  them  a  big-hearted 
guide  and  friend  in  the  shape  of  a  wide-awake  business  man  who 
has  not  forgotten  that  he  was  a  boy  once.  Such  are  the  boys' 
clubs  that  are  springing  up  in  a  multitude  of  churches,  where  the 
exercises  are  not  of  the  junior  prayer  meeting  style,  but  embrace 
games,  outdoor  sports,  athletics,  military  drills,  making  col- 
lections, wanderings  and  other  things  dear  to  the  boy's  heart. 
Such,  finally,  are  the  boys'  departments  in  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations,  where  similar  means  of  interesting  and 
winning  boys  are  employed.  A  directory  of  social  organizations 
for  boys  is  given  in  Forbush's  book,  The  Boy  Problem. 

All  solutions  that  deal  with  groups  of  boys  seek  to  utilize  the 
gang  spirit  and  to  lead  it  along  legitimate  lines  instead  of  letting 
it  run  rampant  into  the  development  of  hoodlums  and  toughs. 
Most  of  them  make  a  direct  appeal  to  the  boy's  admiration  for 
heroic  characters.     All  of  them  can  and  should  point  to  Jesus  as 


150  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^°^ 

the  most  heroic  of  men,  the  most  chivalrous  of  knights,  and  the 
most  devoted  servant  of  God  and  humanity. 

That  these  attempted  solutions  of  the  boy  problem  have 
reached  the  end  of  perfection  no  one  will  claim.  Happily  one 
may  say  with  confidence  that  they  are  steps  in  the  right  direc- 
tion. It  is  the  fate  of  pioneers  to  be  underestimated,  but  they 
blaze  the  path  that  others  tread  to  fame  and  empire. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Forbush:  The  Boy  Problem,  6th  edition;  The  Boy's  Round  Table; 
Church  Work  with  Boys.  All  these  volumes  deal  with  the  boy  problem 
from  the  point  of  view  of  one  who  has  made  a  scientific  study  of  boys  and 
who  has  had  a  large  experience  in  dealing  with  them.  (2)  Foster:  The 
Boy  and  the  Church.  (3)  Puffer:  The  Boy  and  his  Gang.  (4)  "  Boys' 
Work,"  in  Vol.  V  of  Men  and  Religion  Messages,  gives  the  results  of  an 
elaborate  inquiry  by  a  commission  appointed  expressly  to  investigate  the 
boy  problem,  and  to  answer  the  question,  "  What  can  the  ordinary  local 
church,  that  has  no  special  equipment,  nor  any  special  force  of  trained 
teachers,  do  for  the  boys  of  its  own  community?  " 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  Why  should  church  expenses  not  be  included  in  a  general  tax  on  the 
community,  the  same  as  the  cost  of  maintaining  schools? 

2.  What  objections  are  there  to  raising  church  funds  by  renting  pews? 

3.  Describe  the  system  of  providing  for  church  expenses  by  voluntary 
offerings. 

4.  How  does  the  apportionment  system  for  benevolences  work? 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  principle  underlies  all  modern  systems  of  education? 


2.  What  is  the  boy  problem  from  a  religious  point  of  view? 


3.  What  are  the  age  limits  of  early,  middle,  and  late  adolescence? 


4.  Describe  the  barbarian  period  of  the  boy's  life;  the  tribal  period. 


Twenty-three  jhe  Boy  Problem  151 

5.  Describe  the  feudal  period;  the  transition  period  to  state  allegiance; 
the  self-governing  period. 


6.  What  are  some  of  the  mental  and  moral  traits  of  the  boy-problem 
period? 


7.  Why  is  the  middle  stage  of  adolescence  a  critical  time  in  the  boy's 
life? 


8.  Why  does  the  Sunday  school  cease  to  hold  most  boys  after  the  age  of 
fifteen? 


9.  Mention  some  modem  attempts  to  solve  the  boy  problem. 


10.  What  are  the  basic  principles  in  these  attempts? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  does  the  number  of  boys  over  ten  years  of  age  in  your  Sunday 
school  compare  with  the  number  of  girls?     Get  the  exact  figures. 

2.  How  does  the  number  over  sixteen  compare  with  the  number  of  girls 
of  the  same  age? 

3.  What  special  means  have  been  adopted  in  your  church  to  solve  the 
boy  problem?     If  any,  state  the  result. 

4.  Are  there  any  other  churches  in  your  community  that  are  trying  to 
solve  this  problem?     If  so,  describe  the  means  employed. 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

1.  Why  have  the  Junior  societies  in  Christian  Endeavor,  the  Epworth 
League,  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  and  similar  organizations  failed 
to  solve  the  boy  problem? 

2.  Find  out  what  you  can  about  boys'  "  gangs  "  in  your  own  community. 
What  do  these  gangs  do?  How  old  are  the  boys  in  them?  What  is  the 
attitude  toward  them  on  the  part  of  parents,  teachers,  the  police,  the  courts, 
your  Sunday  school? 


152  The  Modern  Church  ^^«<^ 

Lesson  24.    MODERN   CHURCH  BROTHERHOODS. 

Scripture   Reading:  The   First   Christian   Brotherhood.     Acts    4:32-35. 

Note  1.  Modem  Brotherhoods:  What  They  Are.  Recent 
years  have  witnessed  a  remarkable  movement  to  enlist  the  male 
members  of  the  church  in  response  to  the  loud  dem.and  for 
service  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  We  are  entering  on  one  of  the 
most  momentous  social  and  economic  revolutions  in  the  history 
of  the  human  race,  a  crisis  in  which  the  interests  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  demand  the  work  of  men.  If  this  kingdom  is  to  have  a 
place  in  the  coming  social  order,  it  will  be  only  because  the 
Christian  manhood  of  our  time  girds  itself  to  grapple  with  a  task 
that  demands  the  intensest  zeal,  the  most  heroic  energy,  and  a 
spirit  of  cooperation'  that  subordinates  all  minor  interests  to  the 
call  of  the  Master.  Old  ideas  of  church  membership  as  prepara- 
tory chiefly  for  a  heavenly  kingdom  are  being  displaced  by  the 
idea  of  enlistment  in  an  active  warfare  for  the  estabhshment  of 
God's  kingdom  here  and  now  as  the  controlling  factor  in  human 
affairs. 

As  the  name  implies,  "  brotherhoods  "  are,  composed  of  men 
whose  relation  one  to  another  is  determined  by  their  primary 
relation  to  Jesus  Christ.  They  are  His  brethren  and  therefore 
brothers  one  to  another.  Every  brotherhood,  accordingly,  is 
rooted  in  a  local  church.  Its  membership  may  consist  of  two 
or  three  who  meet  together  "  in  His  name."  Their  first  task  is 
to  win  over  other  men  in  the  church  to  increased  efficiency  in  the 
church  itself;  secondly,  to  unite  them  "  for  larger  service  in 
the  community,  in  the  State,  and  in  the  world,  and  thus  make 
the  church  a  public  agency  such  as  it  never  was  before  "; 
thirdly,  to  bring  the  blessings  of  salvation  into  the  lives  of  un- 
converted men  by  leading  them  to  Christ,  into  membership  in 
His  church,  and  zeal  in  His  service.  Brotherhoods,  in  a  word, 
are  organizations  of  Christian  men,  seeking  to  enlist  men  to  do 
men's  work  in  bringing  the  world  to  Christ. 

Note  2.     Beginnings  of  the  Brotherhood  Movement.    The 

first  concrete  manifestation  of  the  brotherhood  idea  in  Protestant 
churches  took  place  in  1883,  when  twelve  young  men  constitut- 
ing a  Bible  class  in  St.  James'  Episcopal  Church  in  Chicago, 
were  requested  by  the  rector  to  take  charge  of  a  poor,  miserable, 
drttlnkien  tramp,  and  were  thereby  led  to  see  as  never  before  the 
futility  of  mere  Bible  study  without  labor  with  God  and  for 
God  and  in  God's  name  for  the  immediate  establishment  of  His 


Twenty.four  Modem  CkuTch  Brotherhoods  153 

kingdom.  They  had  no  notion  of  any  organization.  They 
simply  promised  to  pray  each  day,  and  each  week  to  make  an 
earnest  effort  to  bring  some  man  under  the  influence  of  the  Gos- 
pel, just  as  Andrew  brought  Peter  to  Christ.  The  idea  took 
lodgment  in  other  Episcopal  churches,  until  at  the  present  time 
the  Brotherhood  of  St.  Andrew  has  chapters,  as  they  are  called, 
in  most  of  the  leading  parishes  in  the  United  States  and  in  other 
lands. 

Five  years  later,  1888,  the  Brotherhood  of  Andrew  and  Philip 
was  organized  for  parish  work  in  the  Second  Reformed  Church 
of  Reading,  Pa.  It  seeks  to  promote  individual  work,  to  be 
especially  helpful  to  the  pastor,  and  to  engage  in  every  form  of 
Christian  activity.  Its  two  rules  of  prayer  and  service  are 
similar  to  those  of  the  Brotherhood  of  St.  Andrew.  Unlike 
this,  however,  it  has  spread  rapidly  through  more  than  twenty 
denominations.  The  society  in  the  local  church  is  a  chapter, 
the  chapters  elect  a  denominational  council  which  directs  the 
denominational  brotherhoods,  and  these  coimcils  again  elect  a 
Federal  Council.  *'  Any  group  or  organization  of  men  in  any 
congregation  or  mission  of  any  evangelical  church,  accepting  the 
two  rules  of  prayer  and  ser^vdce  may,  with  the  approval  of  the 
minister,  become  a  chapter  of  the  brotherhood  and  be  entitled  to 
representation  in  the  Federal  convention." 

Note  2.  Spread  of  the  Brotherhood  Idea.  Conditions  in- 
side and  outside  the  churches  combined  to  show  the  need  of 
a  greater  masculine  emphasis  in  religious  work.  The  two  brother- 
hoods mentioned  in  the  preceding  note  showed  how  this  need 
could  be  met.  More  and  more  rapidly  brotherhoods  of  aU  kinds, 
with  or  without  the  two  rules,  and  for  the  advancement  of 
every  form  of  religious  activity,  sprang  up  in  local  churches. 
Some  denominations  had  hundreds  of  them  before  any  attempt 
was  made  to  bring  them  into  touch  one  with  another!  Then 
the  conviction  gained  ground  that  much  more  effective-  work 
could  be  done.  The  result  was  the  organization  of  a  large 
number  of  denominational  brotherhoods,  the  chief  of  which  are 
the  following: 

The  Methodist  Brotherhood  was  formed  in  1908  by  the  con- 
solidation of  several  previously  organized  church-wide  brother- 
hoods.    Its  official  organ  is  Methodist  Men. 

The  Men's  League  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church  was 
organized  in  1906.     Its  official  publication  is  the  Men's  Record. 


154  The  Modern  Church  -^"^'^'- 

The  Presbyterian  Brotherhood  was  formally  organized  the 
same  year.     Its  official  organ  is  The  Presbyterian  Brotherhood. 

The  Baptist  Brotherhood  was  formed  in  1908.  It  is  well 
organized  but  does  not  as  yet  (1913)  publish  any  official  peri- 
odical. 

The  Congregational  Brotherhood  was  also  organized  in  1908. 
The  official  organ  for  a  time  was  The  Brotherhood  Era,  but  in 
1912  it  was  combined  with  The  American  Missionary. 

Other  denominational  Brotherhoods  are  the  National  League 
of  Universalist  "Laymen  (1907),  the  Brotherhood  of  Disciples  of 
Christ  (1908),  the  Lutheran  Brotherhood  (1909),  the  Otterbein 
Brotherhood  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  (1909),  the 
National  League  of  Unitarian  Laymen  (1909),  and  the  Brother- 
hood of  the  Southern  Presbyterian  Church  (1908). 

In  Great  Britain  the  brotherhood  movement  is  kingdom-wide, 
embraces  all  religious  commimions,  has  identified  with  itself 
some  of  the  strongest  men  in  Parliament,  cooperates  closely 
with  the  British  Labor  Movement,  and  is  viewed  as  "  a  great 
masculine  expression  of  the  national  life."  Immense  Sunday 
afternoon  meetings  attended  in  the  aggregate  by  himdreds  of 
thousands  of  men  "  embody  the  social  consciousness  of  the  time 
and  seek  to  give  expression  to  the  ideals  of  religion  through  ser- 
vice of  the  common  man." 

Note  4.  Leading  Lines  of  Work.  Merely  to  list  the  variety 
and  wide  range  of  activities  carried  on  by  the  local  brotherhood 
chapters  would  occupy  ten  to  a  dozen  of  these  pages.  For 
convenience  they  may  be  roughly  classified  under  five  heads : 

1.  Bible  Study  and  Prayer.  The  cultivation  of  a  higher 
degree  of  personal  piety  through  a  more  intelligent  acquaintance 
with  God's  word  and  a  more  intimate  fellowship  with  Himself. 
This  includes  a  faithful  attendance  at  public  worship,  and  at 
prayer  and  conference  meetings,  as  well  as  active  work  in  the 
Sunday  school. 

2.  Evangelism.  Especially  of  the  kind  that  involves  man-to- 
man work,  but  including  also  the  establishing  and  maintaining 
of  neighborhood  prayer  meetings,  meetings  in  shops,  stores, 
mills,  and  factories,  and  promoting  and  assisting  in  general 
evangelistic  campaigns. 

3.  Social  Service.  A  recognition  of  the  higher  claims  of 
citizenship  as  shown  in  the  furtherance  of  civic  righteousness,  in 
elevating  the  standards  of  commercial  integrity,  in  promoting 


Twenty -four  Modcm  ChuTch  Brotkerkoods  155 

personal  purity,  in  aiding  all  agencies  that  aim  at  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  liquor  traffic  and  the  evils  attending  it,  in  protecting 
the  home,  in  abolishing  child  labor,  in  guarding  against  civic 
corruption,  and  in  assisting  every  cause  that  makes  for  social 
betterment,  and  resisting  every  influence  that  works  against  it. 

4.  Work  with  Boys.  Alen  with  a  love  for  boys  can  do  much 
to  hold  them  to  religious  ideals.  A  brotherhood  can  give  the 
boys  protection,  guidance,  leadership,  and  comradeship.  It 
can  help  them  organize  a  boys'  club,  a  troop  of  Boy  Scouts,  a 
castle  of  Knights  of  King  Arthur,  or  of  the  Holy  Grail.  There 
are  scores  of  ways  in  which  it  can  render  them  inestimable 
service. 

5.  Missions.  The  acquiring  of  a  greater  knowledge  of  the 
nature,  extent,  results,  and  needs  of  Christian  missions,  as  a 
basis  for  a  greater  consecration  of  time,  strength  and  money  for 
their  advancement  in  cities,  throughout  our  own  land,  and  the 
world. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 
{1)  Patterson:  Modern  Church  Brotherhoods.  This  is  the  latest  and  most 
comprehensive  survey  of  the  brotherhood  movement  yet  made.  It  gives  a 
full  account  of  the  various  organizations  and  of  the  aims  sought,  and  the 
means  employed.  (.?)  An  extremely  interesting  and  informing  article  on 
the  Brotherhood  Movement  in  Great  Britain,  and  its  profound  influence  on 
social  conditions  is  reprinted  from  the  Contemporary  Review  in  LitteWs 
Living  Age,  December  7,  1912,  No.  3570.  (3)  Further  information  can  be 
gleaned  from  the  various  official  organs  of  the  denominational  brotherhoods 
mentioned  in  Note  3,  above. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  is  meant  by  the  boy  problem  as  related  to  the  churches? 

2.  What  are  some  of  the  characteristics  of  the  adolescent  period  in  boys? 

3.  What  is  the  critical  age  in  boyhood? 

4.  Mention  some  of  the  devices  that  have  been  used  in  efforts  to  solve 
the  boy  problem? 

QUESTIONS    ON   THE   LESSON. 
1.  What  social  conditions  have  given  rise  to  the  brotherhood  movement? 


2.  For  what  purposes  are  church  brotherhoods  formed? 


3.  Describe  the  origin  of  the  first  of  the  Protestant  Brotherhoods. 


156  The  Modern  Church  -^"^^^ 

4.  Describe  the  second  of  these  Brotherhoods. 

5.  What  gave  rise  to  denominational  brotherhoods? 

6.  Mention  a  few  of  the  denominational  brotherhoods. 


7.  What  are  the  leading  characteristics  of  the  brotherhood  movement  in 
Great  Britain? 


8.  Mention  the  five  main  lines  of  Christian  work  pursued  by  church 
brotherhoods. 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Is  there  a  men's  organization  in  your  church?     If  not,  why  not? 

2.  If  there  is  a  brotherhood  chapter,  how  many  members  does  it  include? 

3.  How  does  this  number  compare  with  the  male  membership  of  the 
church? 

4.  What  are  the  chief  lines  along  which  your  brotherhood  works? 

5.  _  If  there  is_  no  brotherhood,  can  you  mention  some  specific  lines  of 
religious  or  social  work  in  which  such  an  organization  could  profitably 
engage? 

6.  Try  to  find  out  the  actual  results  accomplished  by  some  one  chapter 
of  a  brotherhood. 

QUESTION  FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

How  can  church  brotherhoods  assist  in  bringing  about  a  better  under- 
standing between  the  churches  and  labor  associations? 


Twenty-five  jhe  Men' s  Campaign  for  Men  157 

Lesson  25.    THE  MEN'S  CAMPAIGN  FOR  MEN. 

Scripture  Reading:  Lay  Preachers  of  the  Word.    Acts  8: 1-4. 

Note  1.  The  Need  of  Men  in  Church  Work.  The  Boston 
Herald,  commenting  on  the  relatively  small  interest  of  men  in 
church  affairs  suggests  that  the  average  business  man  is  equally 
uninterested  in  many  other  subjects  of  vital  public  concern. 
"  Speaking  broadly,"  says  that  paper,  "  how  many  men  care 
an3^hing  about  the  tariff,  except  as  it  concerns  their  individual 
business  interests  ?  How  many  men  care  for  the  higher  interests 
of  literary  or  dramatic  art  ?  .  .  .  The  *  tired  business  man  '  rriay 
not  care  for  theology,  but  does  he  not  care  quite  as  much  for  it 
as  for  political  economy,  or  social  science?  It  is  a  serious  fact 
that  our  absorption  in  commercial  life  has  lessened  the  depth  of 
our  intellectual  life.  If  the  church  has  failed  in  the  matter  of 
virile  thought,  and  strong,  aggressive  work  for  social  righteous- 
ness, it  is  because  the  strong  men  of  the  nation  have  not  stood 
back  of  it,  and  demanded  of  its  leaders  the  type  of  work  it  was 
created  to  perform."  The  wide-spread  efforts  now  being  made 
to  remedy  this  condition,  to  get  clear-headed  business  men  to 
employ  in  the  church  the  same  energy,  enterprise  and  self-denial 
that  they  maintain  so  abundantly  in  secular  affairs,  is  one  of  the 
hopeful  signs  of  our  time. 

Note  2.  The  Outreach  of  Brotherhoods  after  Men.  Mani- 
fold and  diversified  as  the  activities  are  in  which  church  brother- 
hoods engage,  there  is  back  of  them  ah  the  purpose  of  arousing 
the  dormant  energies  of  Christian  men,  and  to  utilize  them  in 
active  service  for  God  and  humanity.  As  already  stated 
(Lesson  24,  Note  1),  the  primary  work  of  every  local  brother- 
hood is  not  to  bring  men  from  the  world  into  the  church  in 
order  that  they  may  be  "  saved,"  but  to  save  the  men  who  are 
already  in  the  church  for  something  that  shall  count  in  their 
own  lives  and  that  shall  distinguish  them  from  moral  men  out- 
side the  chtirch.  One  of  the  frequent  objections  given  by  the 
latter  class  for  not  becoming  Christians  is  that  they  see  no  differ- 
ence between  the  lives  of  church  members  and  their  own  lives. 
Too  frequently  there  is  no  perceptible  difference.  If  the 
brotherhoods  accomplish  anything,  they  must  first  of  all  lift 
professing  Christian  men  to  a  plane  of  living  where  this  objection 
can  no  longer  be  urged.  This  is  precisely  what  they  are  doing, 
and  as  a  result  thousands  of  churches  have  experienced  not  only 


158  The  Modern  Church  ^"^^« 

an  access  of  spiritual  power  within  the  ranks,  but  of  power  for 
conquest  in  the  surrounding  community. 

Note  3.  The  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement.  This  is  one 
of  the  remarkable  products  of  the  men's  campaign  for  men.  It 
means  not  merely  enlarged  gifts  of  money  for  missions,  but  en- 
larged men,  men  with  a  vision  of  what  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ 
signifies  to  the  world,  and  of  the  tremendous  responsibility  that 
rests  on  the  church  as  the  divinely  appointed  agency  for  carrying 
this  Gospel  unto  all  the  nations.  Christian  men  are  asked  to 
invest  in  this  enterprise-  not  only  their  dollars,  but  their  time, 
their  influence,  and,  where  possible,  their  whole  lives.  The 
response  has  been  marvelous.  It  has  given  a  new  inspiration 
to  thousands  of  men  who  had  been  so  immersed  in  secular  busi- 
ness as  to  lose  sight  of  all  religious  obligations  beyond  a  per- 
functory attendance  on  the  Sunday  morning  worship.  It  has 
brought  a  great  quickening  into  the  spiritual  hfe  of  the  churches, 
and  to  the  men  out  on  the  firing  line  this  enlistment  of  a  great 
relief  force  in  the  homeland  has  brought  an  unspeakable 
renewal  of  hope  and  courage. 

Note  4.    The  Men  and  Religion  Forward  Movement.     The 

Brotherhood  Movement  and  the  Missionary  Laymen's  Move- 
ment were  the  forerunners  and  compeers  of  the  biggest,  sanest 
and  most  effective  attempt  ever  made  within  the  Christian 
church  to  put  evangelism  and  social  service  on  the  same  plat- 
form. The  Men  and  Religion  Fonvard  Movement  was  an 
attempt  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada  to  realize  "  more  religion  for  men,  and  more  men  for 
reHgion."  After  a  year  or  more  of  most  laborious  preparation 
it  culminated  in  a  memorable  campaign  that  swept  the  continent 
from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic  from  September,  1911,  to  May, 
1912.     Its  more  conspicuous  features  were  the  following: 

{1)  Origin.  The  Men  and  Religion  Movement  originated  in 
the  mind  and  heart  of  a  young  man,  Harry  W.  Arnold,  a  member 
of  the  International  Committee  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  headquarters  in  New  York.  His  calm  persistency 
finally  overcame  all  objections  and  enlisted  the  enthusiastic 
cooperation  of  the  other  members  of  the  committee,  and  espe- 
cially of  Fred  B.  Smith  the  head  of  the  Religious  Work  Depart- 
ment. The  proposal  won  a  imanimous  response  from  the  leaders 
of  men's  organizations  in  and  around  New  York.  In  October, 
1910,  the  plan  was  endorsed  at  Buffalo,  by  a  convention  of  two 


Twenty-five  ji^^  ^^^^'^  Campaign  for  Men  159 

hundred  and  sixty-two  delegates  representing  nearly  every 
Protestant  body  in  North  America.  A  national  committee  of 
ninety-seven  was  appointed,  and  local  committees  of  one  hun- 
dred business  and  professional  men  in  each  of  seventy-six  great 
cities  in  which  it  was  planned  to  hold  eight-day  campaigns 
radiating  into  over  a  thousand  "  auxilliary  "  smaller  cities  and 
towns,  each  one  of  which  had  its  own  committtee  pledged  to 
carry  on  the  work. 

{2)  Absence  of  Sectarianism.  All  denominational  differences 
were  set  aside  by  those  who  joined  in  the  movement.  The 
national  brotherhoods  promoting  it  were  those  of  the  Baptists, 
CongregationaHsts,  Disciples  of  Christ,  EpiscopaHans  (St. 
Andrew),  Lutherans,  Methodists,  Presbyterians,  United  Breth- 
ren, United  Presbyterians,  and  the  interdenomination  brother- 
hood of  Andrew  and  Philip.  With  these  stood  the  Gideons,  an 
organization  of  commercial  travelers,  the  International  Simday 
School  Association  and  the  Yoimg  Men's  Christian  Associations. 

{3)  The  Team-work.  Over  thirty  experts  in  the  various  lines 
of  work  to  be  emphasized  were  selected,  and  carefully  drilled. 
After  united  work  at  Minneapolis  and  South  Bend,  Indiana, 
they  were  divided  into  teams  of  seven,  each  team  under  a  spe- 
cially qualified  leader,  and  sent  out  into  the  remaining  seventy- 
four  great  centers  for  eight-day  campaigns. 

(4)  The  Social  Survey.  Before  the  arrival  of  the  team,  the 
committee  of  one  hundred  had  done  in  each  place  a  most  impor- 
tant preliminary  work  as  a  basis  for  the  actual  campaign. 
Twelve  hundred  questions  were  sent  out  from  headquarters  to 
be  answered  by  the  committee  after  an  actual  and  minute 
examxination  of  social  conditions.  Some  of  the  subjects  investi- 
gated are  "  the  attendance  at  Sunday  schools,  increase  or  de- 
crease of  church  membership  and  reasons  therefor,  the  growth 
or  decline  of  interest  in  all  forms  of  religious  activity;  the  num- 
ber of  saloons,  dance-haUs,  theatres,  burlesque  shows,  and  their 
character ;  arrests  and  convictions  of  men,  women,  and  children, 
for  what  causes,  imder  what  conditions ;  detailed,  definite  state- 
ments as  to  water-supply,  sewerage,  taxation;  condition  of 
bakeries  and  meat  markets ;  the  sanitary  condition  of  tenements, 
factories,  restaurants,  hotels;  an  exhaustive  inquiry  concerning 
public  schools,  playgroimds,  libraries;  the  number  of  boys  and 
girls  in  shops,  stores,  factories;  wages  paid  them,  actual  cost  of 
living  under  decent  surroimdings."  The  result  of  each  of  these 
social  siirveys  was  sent  to  headquarters  where  trained  workers 


160  The  Modern  Church  ^"^«« 

constructed  from  them  a  large  number  of  charts  or  diagrams  to 
be  used  by  the  team  during  its  campaign.  These  results  were 
also  carefully  studied  by  the  team  so  that  on  its  arrival  each 
member  knew  the  social  conditions  of  that  community  better 
than  its  oldest  inhabitant.  In  a  multitude  of  instances  unsus- 
pected and  alarming  conditions  were  revealed.  This  array  of 
indisputable  facts  justified  the  placing  of  evangelism  and  social 
betterment  on  the  same  platform,  and  showed  Christian  people 
just  where  to  apply  their  Christianity  to  the  best  effect. 

(5)  Objects  Sought.  While  the  Men  and  ReHgion  Movement 
was  evangelistic  in  the  largest  sense  of  the  word,  yet  it  differed 
from  ordinary  evangelistic  movements  in  that  it  put  so  large  an 
emphasis  on  Christianity  as  the  sanest  and  safest  guide  for 
society  as  well  as  the  individual.  Its  primary  aim  was  to  get 
the  power  now  latent  in  the  millions  of  inactive  men  in  Protes- 
tant churches  engaged  in  Christian  work,  and  the  most  effective 
way  to  do  this  was  by  setting  before  them  precisely  such  social 
tasks  as  men  are  best  qualified  to  undertake. 

In  addition  to  this  the  campaign  sought  to  win  men  to  Bible 
study  by  doubling  the  enrollment  in  Men's  Bible  Study  classes ; 
to  continue  the  emphasis  on  the  great  missionary  appeal  at 
home  and  in  the  non-Christian  world;  to  win  thousands  of  uin- 
converted  men  and  boys  to  Christ  and  the  church ;  and  to  stimu- 
late and  direct  specialized  work  for  and  with  boys  in  every 
church  on  the  continent. 

Note  5.    Results    of    the    Men    and    Religion   Movement. 

This  ambitious  plan,  whose  very  bigness  seemed  to  constitute 
its  chief  peril,  was  carried  through  successfully.  The  results 
were  of  such  nature  that  they  cannot  be  tabulated,  but  in  almost 
every  instance  they  were  gratifying  and  in  many  instances 
astonishing.  A  few  out  of  the  hundreds  of  interesting  results 
may  be  noted. 

(1)  Men  are  more  responsive  than  was  supposed.  There  is 
little  difficulty  in  arousing  a  Christian  man's  interest  in  church 
work  if  he  is  given  a  man's  job.  The  busiest  kind  of  busy  men 
stood  ready  to  take  upon  themselves  heavy  burdens,  planning 
with  the  same  wisdom  and  working  with  the  same  energy  as  in 
their  private  business. 

(2)  A  marked  increase,  in  many  cases  a  doubling,  of  attend- 
ance of  men  at  Bible  classes  and  public  worship. 

(5)  In  almost  every  case  a  more  insistent  demand  for  civic 


Twenty-five  jy  Men's  Campaign  for  Men  161 

and  personal  righteousness.  In  Philadelphia,  for  example,  two 
hundred  and  fifty  churches  immediately  after  the  departure  of 
the  team  organized  for  the  promotion  of  higher  standards  in 
mimicipal  affairs.  In  a  Southern  city  the  hideous  fact  was 
revealed  that  one  of  the  city's  leading  church  men  owned  a  full 
half  of  the  houses  rented  for  immoral  purposes.  Refusing  to 
reform  his  business,  he  was  promptly  expelled  from  the  church. 
"  Of  appalling  significance  is  the  uniformity  with  which  the 
social  service  investigations  have  led  the  churches  straight  up 
to  the  social  evil  as  the  most  hideous  disease  of  the  civil  body." 

(4)  The  Men  and  Religion  Movement  has  developed  "  a 
new  method  and  a  modem  expression  for  the  old  force  of  re- 
ligion." 

Every  possible  precaution  has  been  taken  to  prevent  this 
colossal  effort  from  becoming  a  mere  "  spurt."  To  this  end  the 
work  is  now  thrown  back  on  the  churches,  and  especially  the 
brotherhoods,  in  the  form  of  worthy  and  workable  plans  for 
specialized  efforts  for  men  and  boys.  These  plans  extend  over 
five  years  from  the  time  the  campaign  closed.  The  seven  vol- 
umes of  commission  reports  constitute  in  themselves  a  perma- 
nent call  and  inspiration  to  persistent  service. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  For  literature  on  the  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement  write  to  the 
headquarters,  No.  1  Madison  Avenue,  New  York  City.  (2)  Men  and 
Religion  Messages,  seven  volumes  containing  the  reports  of  eight  com- 
missions on  as  many  pressing  issues  before  the  churches.  "  Here  in  a 
permanent  literature  is  embodied  a  wealth  of  practical  application  for 
every  line  of  effort  which  the  Movement  emphasized."  {3)  Everybody's 
Magazine  for  May,  1912,  contains  a  well-written  article  on  the  Men  and 
Religion  Movement  entitled,  "  On  the  March  with  the  New  Crusaders." 
(4)  The  Outlook  for  April  27,  1912,  contains  a  review  of  the  results  of  the. 
Men  and  Religion  Movement. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  Describe  a  modem  church  brotherhood. 

2.  What  were  the  first  two  church  brotherhoods  in  this  country? 

3.  What  are  some  of  the  leading  church  brotherhoods? 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  leading  lines  of  work  in  brotherhoods? 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Mention  some  conditions  that  have  weaned  Christian  men  away  from 
active  work  in  the  chiirch. 


162  The  Modern  Church  ^"^o« 

2.  What  are  the  church  brotherhoods  accompHshing  in  the  campaign 
for  men? 


3.  What  is  the  specific  work  of  the  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement? 


4.  How  did  the  Men  and  ReHgion  Movement  originate? 


5.  How  did  it  devel9p  a  spirit  of  denominational  cooperation? 


6.  Describe  the  social  survey. 


7.  What  purpose  did  the  social  surveys  serve? 


8.  What  were  some  of  the  objects  sought  by  the  Men  and  Religion 
Movement? 


9.  Mention  some  apparent  results  of  the  l^.len  and  Religion  Movement. 


10.  What  means  have  been  used  to  make  it  a  lasting  influence? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  To  what  extent  has  your  church  been  influenced  by  the  Laymen's 
Missionary  Movement? 


Twenty-six  What  the  City  Problem  Is  163 

2.  To  what  extent,  by  the  Men  and  Rehgion  Movement? 

3.  Mention  some  things  the  men  in  the  churches  in  your  community 
might  accompHsh  if  they  should  combine  for  social  betterment. 

4.  To  what  extent  are  churches  usually  aware  of  the  social  conditions 
that  exist  around  them? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

1.  Are  church  methods  to-day  adapted  to  the  kind  of  work  that  needs 
to  be  done  by  the  churches? 

2.  Is  any  evil  thing  in  this  community  afraid  of  the  churches? 


Lesson  26.     WHAT    THE     CITY    PROBLEM    IS. 

Scripture  Reading:  The  Vision  of  a  Redeemed  City.     Rev.  ch.  21. 

Note  1.  The  Problem  of  the  Modem  City.  In  our  modem 
civilization  one  of  the  most  startling  features  is  the  rapid  growth 
of  great  cities.  At  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century 
there  were  only  six  cities  in  the  United  States  with  populations 
of  8,000  or  over.  In  1910  there  were  109  with  populations  of 
50,000  or  over,  and  51  with  100,000  or  more.  The  white  settle- 
ment at  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago  River  was  made  in  1831.  In 
1871,  forty  years  later,  it  had  over  300,000  inhabitants,  and  in 
1911,  after  another  period  of  forty  years,  over  2,200,000. 
During  the  decade  between  1900  and  1910  the  population  of 
New  York  City  increased  from  3,437,202  to  4,766,883,  a  gain  of 
1,329,681,  or  twice  the  entire  popiilation  in  1850.  The  growth 
of  city  populations  in  recent  years  has  increased  in  much  higher 
ratio  than  that  of  the  coimtry  at  large.  In  1800  the  urban 
population  constituted  less  than  four  per  cent  of  the  whole;  in 
1900  it  was  thirty-three  per  cent.  A  similar  disproportionate 
growth  is  seen  in  all  the  chief  cities  of  the  world.  The  time  is 
not  distant  when  the  cities  will  contain  more  than  a  half  of  our 
entire  population.  Several  States  have  already  exceeded  this 
amoimt. 

Efforts  to  turn  the  tide  back  to  the  coimtry  have  so  far 
accomplished  Httle  or  nothing.  This  movement  is  due  to  eco- 
nomic and  social  laws  whose  operation  cannot  be  reversed. 
Where  fourteen  men  were  required  fifty  years  ago  to  do  farm 
work  only  four  are  required  now,  owing  to  the  introduction  of 
agricultural  machinery.     Since  the  four  are  able  to  supply  the 


164  The  Modern  Church  ^"'^ 

demand  for  farm  products  as  effectually  as  the  fourteen,  the 
superfluous  ten  are  forced  into  towns  and  cities.  Furthermore, 
the  industrial  revolution  which  has  given  rise  to  factories  of  all 
kinds,  great  and  small,  has  also  led  to  a  concentration  of  popu- 
lation. Machinery  which  reduced  the  call  for  human  labor  in 
farming  has  vastly  increased  the  demand  in  manufacturing. 
Finally,  increased  facilities  for  travel  and  transportation  of 
food  have  removed  nearly  all  restrictions  formerly  imposed  on 
the  growth  of  cities. 

This  massing  of  populations  has  on  the  one  hand  stimulated 
all  that  is  best,  noblest  and  most  magnificent  in  human  achieve- 
ment, and,  on  the  other  hand,  it  has  been  productive  of  evils  so 
many  and  various  as  to  be  almost  incredible  to  persons  who 
have  seen  them  with  their  own  eyes.  How  to  check  the  growth 
of  these  evils,  and  to  remedy  them  so  far  as  they  have  already 
appeared,  constitute  the  stupendous  task  commonly  known  as 
the  problem  of  the  city. 

Note  2.  Complexity  of  the  Problem.  Our  modem  great 
cities  hold  vast  aggregations  of  wealth.  Commerce  and  the 
industries  make  their  home  in  the  city.  Here  most  of  the  vast 
fortunes  are  accumulated,  and  here  most  of  the  wealth  of  the 
coimtry  is  controlled.  The  almost  unlimited  power  of  riches, 
whether  for  good  or  evil,  is  lodged  in  the  city. 

But  side  by  side  with  incalculable  wealth  and  luxury  the  city 
presents  an  appalling  mass  of  poverty  and  wretchedness. 
Multitudes  of  families  are  packed  into  small,  dark,  filthy,  un- 
ventilated  tenements,  debilitated  by  lack  of  nourishing  food  and 
adequate  clothing,  the  prey  of  disease,  driven  to  drink  by 
despair,  and  to  pauperism  and  crime  by  drink.  Practically 
every  city  of  any  size  has  its  slum  district,  and  every  slimi  is  a 
gangrene  on  the  civic  life. 

Such  social  inequalities  inevitably  breed  deep  discontent. 
When  a  man  out  of  work  sees  wife  and  children  suffering  for 
lack  of  the  merest  necessities  of  life,  while  a  few  blocks  away 
another  man  squanders  on  a  single  banquet  enough  to  keep  a 
score  of  families  in  comfort  for  a  year,  he  is  not  likely  to  regard 
it  with  resignation.  This  inequality  in  the  distribution  of  the 
products  of  labor  is  the  soil  in  which  anarchism,  and  every  other 
preachment  of  social  violence  strike  root  and  flourish. 

The  great  cities  have  become  hotbeds  of  corruption  and  crime. 
A  great  and  rapidly  growing  community,  whose  citizens  are  for 


Twenty-six  What  the  City  Problem  Is  165 

the  most  part  so  absorbed  in  their  own  concerns  that  they  have 
no  time  to  give  to  pubHc  affairs,  offers  every  opporttinity  to 
selfish  and  tmscrupulous  poHticians  to  form  "  rings  "  for  black- 
mailing every  business  from  the  big  corporation  to  the  push- 
cart peddler,  from  bankers,  manufacturers,  and  railroad  presi- 
dents down  to  gamblers,  thieves,  assassins,  and  prostitutes. 
Crime  of  all  kinds  flourishes  where  criminals  are  protected 
rather  than  prosecuted. 

Most  of  the  great  European  cities  have  fairly  homogeneous 
populations.  The  people  are  almost  wholly  of  one  race  and 
nationality,  they  speak  the  same  language,  and  are  used  to  the 
same  social  and  political  ideals.  The  great  American  cities,  on 
the  contrary,  are  conglomerates  of  races  and  nationalities  from 
every  part  of  the  world.  A  native  is  in  m^any  quarters  almost  a 
foreigner.  The  great  mass  of  those  arriving  in  recent  years 
bring  with  them  illiteracy  and  poverty.  Naturally  they  remain 
in  the  cities  where  they  find  colonies  of  their  own  people — foreign 
cities  transplanted  to  our  own  soil.  They  take  up  their  abode 
in  the  slums,  which  become  more  and  more  congested,  and  here 
they  begin  the  struggle  for  the  bare  necessaries  of  life. 

Note  3.  The  Church  and  the  City  Problem.  Many  of  the 
evils  that  have  grown  up  in  the  great  cities  are  of  such  character 
that  they  can  be  remedied  only  by  concerted  efforts  on  the  part 
of  the  citizens  themselves,  or  by  legislative  action.  Others 
must  be  left  to  social  reformers  and  organizations  specially 
designed  to  grapple  with  them.  Those  involving  labor  ques- 
tions and  the  Americanization  of  workmen  from  other  countries 
are  of  profotmd  interest  to  the  trades-unions,  who  are  doing  more 
for  their  solution  than  any  other  institution.  There  are  many 
remedial  and  philanthropic  activities  in  which  the  church  cannot 
directly  engage,  but  which  it  can  inspire  and  stimulate.  Any 
institution  or  organization  that  makes  directly  or  indirectly  for 
the  physical,  intellectual  and  moral  well-being  of  the  commu- 
nity, and  that  promotes  social  justice  and  righteousness  is  an 
agency  for  advancing  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  should  receive 
to  this  extent  the  support  of  the  church. 

We  must  not  forget,  however,  that  the  church's  primary 
mission  is  the  spiritual  uplifting  of  humanity,  and  that  in  the 
accomplishment  of  this  mission  the  church  stands  alone.  The 
problems  of  social  inequality,  of  poverty,  of  the  slums,  of 
corruption,  crime  and  vice,  are  in  the  final  analysis  moral  prob- 


166  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^°« 

lems,  and  their  solution  lies  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  This  is 
the  only  power  that  can  permanently  redeem  the  masses  that 
are  drifting  into  materialism,  degeneracy  and  anarchy,  that  can 
bring  the  rich  and  the  poor  together,  and  that  can  displace 
grasping  greed  by  a  spirit  of  universal  brotherhood. 

But  to  do  this  the  church  must  adapt  itself  to  present  day 
conditions.  Its  failure  to  reach  the  masses  is  due  to  the  use  of 
traditional  methods  inherited  from  past  ages.  A  church  that 
seeks  to  maintain  itself  as  .a  family  church,  a  religious  club  for  a 
select  class  in  the  community,  may  serve  some  purposes,  but 
it  is  in  no  position  to  grapple  with  city  problems.  Such  churches 
usually  retire  with  their  members  into  more  aristocratic  neigh- 
borhoods, or  into  the  suburbs,  as  the  former  residences  around 
them  become  transformed  into  tenements  or  boarding  houses. 
Here  and  there,  however,  a -church,  instead  of  moving  away, 
stays  and  courageously  changes  its  methods  to  meet  its  new 
environment.  Then  we  have  a  socialized  church.  Happily 
such  churches,  recognizing  their  opportunity  and  responsibility, 
are  multiplying  rapidly.  They  are  true  missionary  enterprises 
manifesting  the  spirit  of  Christ  and  prosecuting  His  work  with  a 
passionate  love  for  the  lost  sheep  wii"hout  a  shepherd. 

Note  4.  What  One  Church  is  Doing.  On  Second  Avenue 
in  New  York  City,  between  Tenth  and  Eleventh  Streets,  is 
situated  the  Second  Avenue  Baptist  Church  in  what  formerly 
used  to  be  the  center  of  the  old  Knickerbocker  aristocracy. 
In  the  densest  part  of  London  there  are  300  people  to  the  acre. 
In  the  ward  in  which  this  church  is  situated  there  are  900.  It 
is  surrounded  by  a  foreign  population  drawn  from  all  parts  of 
the  earth.  There  are  in  New  York  City  more  Italians  than  can 
be  found  in  any  city  in  Italy;  more  Jews  than  in  the  whole  of 
Palestine;  more  Roman  Catholics,  real  or  nominal,  than  live  in 
any  European  city  with  only  three  exceptions.  Here,  we  are 
told  by  The  Watchman,  are  thousands  of  Greeks,  Russians, 
Bulgarians  and  other  nationalities  who  are  yet  under  the  domin- 
ion of  the  Greek  Catholic  church.  Natives  of  India,  China, 
Japan,  and  Africa  abound.  The  amazing  thing  that  strikes  the 
visitor  is  the  fecundity  of  these  alien  peoples.  In  the  block  in 
which  the  Second  Avenue  Church  is  situated  there  are  over 
2,000  children,  not  one  of  whom  would  be  obliged  to  cross  a 
street  to  get  to  the  church.  Every  Sunday  when  the  season  is 
favorable  sixteen  or  more  services  are  conducted,  about  one- 


Twenty-Six  lyp^^^  ^/^^  City  Problem  Is  167 

half  of  them  in  the  open  air.  *'  The  electric  signboard  of  the 
church  announces  eleven  services  on  Sunday  in  seven  languages, 
with  the  hour  of  service  and  the  flag  of  the  nation  ot  which  the 
service  is  held.  From  it  eight  Chinese,  three  Himgarians,  three 
Poles,  two  Greeks,  and  several  Itahans  have  gone  back  and  are 
preaching  the  Gospel  effectively  to  their  own  peoples  in  their 
native  lands."  A¥ith  this  strictly  evangehstic  work  the  church 
combines  many  forms  of  social  service.  These  heroic  efforts  of 
the  pastor  and  his  assistants  are  helping  in  the  preservation  not 
only  of  American  Christianity,  but  of  our  civilization  and  social 
and  political  ideals. 

ADDITIONAL   READING   REFERENCES. 

(1)  Strong:  The  Challenge  of  the  City,  and  The  Twentieth  Century  City. 
{2)  Horton:  The  Burden  of  the  City.  (3)  Stelzle:  Christianity's  Storm 
Center.  (4)  Grose:  Aliens  or  Americans.  (6)  Problems  of  American 
Civilization,  by  several  writers.     (6)  Steffens :   The  Shame  of  the  Cities. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  is  the  Brotherhood  Movement  doing  in~the~campaign  for  men? 

2.  How  does  the  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement  assist  in  this  work? 

3.  Mention  some  of  the  leading  features  of  the  Men  and  Religion  Move- 
ment. 

4.  What  were  some  of  its  results? 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Give  some  illustrations  of  the  recent  growth  of  great  cities. 


2.  To  what  is  this  sweep  of  populations  into  the  cities  due? 


3.  What  is  the  problem  of  the  city? 


4.  What  relation  does  the  city  hold  toward  wealth  and  poverty? 


168  The  Modern  Church 

5.  Why  does  the  city  tend  to  breed  social  discontent? 

6.  How  does  the  city  become  a  center  of  corruption  and  crime? 

7.  How  does  immigration  affect  the  city  problem? 

8.  How  is  the  church  related  to  the  general  problem  of  civic  betterment? 

9.  What  is  the  distinctive  work  of  the  church  in  municipal  reform? 

10.  What  must  the  churches  do  to  reach  the  unchurched  masses? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  advantages  of  city  life? 

2.  Is  the  growth  of  immense  cities  an  advantage  or  a  menace  to  the 
country  at  large? 

3.  What  are  some  of  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  turning  people  back  to 
the  country? 

4.  How  have  city  churches  been  benefited   by  adapting  themselves  to 
socialized  work? 

5.  In  these  days  does  a  city  church  fulfil  its  mission  by  merely  preaching 
the  Gospel  to  the  people? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Why  are  so  few  churches  disposed  to  engage  in  socialized  work? 

2.  Why  is  the  city  problem  more  acute  in  this  country  than  in  Europe? 


The  Modern  Church 


Lesson  27.    THE  SOCIAL  WORK  OF  THE  CITY  CHURCH. 

Scripture  Reading:  Jesus  Weeping  over  Jerusalem.     Lu.  19:  41-44. 

Note  1.  The  Redemption  of  the  City.  When  the  multitude 
of  the  disciples  rounded  the  slopes  of  Mount  Olivet  on  their 
way  to  the  triumphal  entry,  they  rejoiced  as  Jerusalem  in  its 
glory  burst  upon  their  sight.  They  saw  only  its  external 
splendor.  But  when  Jesus  saw  it,  He  wept  over  it,  because 
He  looked  deeper  and  beheld  the  moral  conditions  that  were 
hastening  its  doom.  And  yet  the  author  of  Revelation,  in- 
spired by  Him  who  wept  over  the  old  Jerusalem,  pictiured  the 
consummation  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  world  as  a  new 
Jerusalem,  a  holy  city  coming  down  out  of  heaven  from  God. 
The  city  of  today  is  not  the  City  of  Destruction  from  which  the 
church  flees  as  hopelessly  lost.  It  is  a  vision  and  a  task  that 
allures  to  strenuous  effort.  The  chtirch  that  sees  this  vision 
and  engages  in  this  task  will  not  limit  its  efforts  to  saving  men 
for  a  future  world,  but  will  -seek  to  save  them  for  this  world  as 
well.  It  is  in  the  cities  that  the  churches  face  the  social,  in- 
dustrial and  economic  problems  of  our  time  in  their  most  acute 
form,  and  it  is  here  above  all  other  places  that  all  classes  need 
a  better  understanding,  more  good  will,  a  deeper  sense  of 
responsibility,  and  a  clearer  apprehension  of  duty.  This 
Christian  philosophy  of  life  the  chvirches  must  teach. 

Note  2.  Social  Work  through  Preaching.  In  nearly  every 
age  since  the  Christian  church  was  founded  it  has  been  forced 
to  adjust  its  thinking  and  methods  of  work  to  changing  social 
conditions.  Just  now  we  are  in  the  midst  of  a  world-wide 
social  movement  which  in  magnitude  and  character  is  imparal- 
leled  in  all  the  past  history  of  the  human  race.  The  church, 
natiirally  conservative,  has  been  slow  to  understand  the  trend 
of  things.  Too  often  the  pulpit,  complaining  of  empty  pews 
and  of  the  widespread  alienation  of  the  common  people,  con- 
tinued droning  out  dry  doctrines  in  which  they  were  not  inter- 
ested.   While  society  was  changing  profoundly,  the  church 

169 


170  The  Modern  Church  ^««o« 

was  content  to  stand  still.  In  a  new  world  it  was  trying  to  get 
along  with  methods  and  ideals  devised  for  and  adapted  to  a 
world  that  was  dying  or  dead. 

Happily  the  church  is  awakening  to  the  importance  of  adjust- 
ing itself  to  its  environment.  This  is  especially  noticeable  in 
the  city  churches,  and  in  the  transfer  of  emphasis  from  dogmatic 
to  practical  preaching.  Fundamental  Christian  truths  are  not 
ignored,  but  they  are  made  the  basis  of  a  new  appeal.  There 
is  less  disposition  to  fight  speculative  heresies,  and  more  earnest 
effort  to  fight  the  concrete  evils  of  intemperance,  the  saloon, 
sexual  vice,  poverty,  sweatshops,  child  labor,  overcrowded  and 
insanitary  tenements,  corrupt  politics,  and  a  hundred  similar 
evils  that  grow  luxuriantly  in  the  hotbed  of  city  life.  More 
and  more  the  social  note  is  sounded  from  the  leading  city  pul- 
pits. Human  brotherhood,  mutual  helpfulness,  co-operation 
through  profit  sharing,  the  obligations  and  responsibilities .  of 
wealth,  the  promotion  of  public  health,  the  general  welfare  and 
public  morals,  the  molding  of  industrial  and  business  activities 
in  conformity  with  the  will  of  God,  and  the  spiritualizing  of 
men  and  women  for  effective  Christian  service — these  are  the 
themes  that  are  calling  the  churches  back  to  leadership  in  the 
work  of  redeeming  the  modern  city. 

Note  3.  Social  Work  by  Example.  The  rapid  growth  of 
large  cities  has  been  followed  by  rapid  shifting  of  populations. 
Neighborhoods  that  a  generation  ago  were  occupied  by  well- 
to-do  American  families  have  been  abandoned  by  them  and  given 
over  to  cheap  boarding  houses,  small  shops,  saloons,  quack 
doctors,  and  fakirs  of  all  kinds.  Usually  the  churches  move 
with  the  membership.  In  some  cases,  however,  they  remain 
as  long  as  they  can,  and  try  as  best  they  may  to  meet  the  new 
opportunities  that  surround  them.  This  can  be  done  only  by 
emphasizing  methods  that  make  for  social  betterment,  by  show- 
ing a  profound  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  common  people 
who  are  not  depreciated  as  belonging  to  "  the  lower  classes," 
but  appreciated  as  htunan  beings  to  be  saved  to  a  higher  man- 
hood and  unselfish  service.  Such  churches  are  in  a  position 
to  show  that  the  Christian  church  is  the  one  institution  in  which 
the  old  and  the  young,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  wise  and  the 
ignorant  may  meet  together  as  children  of  the  same  heavenly 
Father.  Here  they  have  a  common  v/orship  and  common 
interests,     Here  is  a  place  where  all  should  practice  mutual 


Twenty-seven         jhe  Social  Work  of  the  City  Church  171 

helpfulness,  where  the  wisdom  of  the  wise  may  be  used  to 
enlighten  the  ignorant,  where  the  wealth  of  the  rich  becomes  a 
blessing  to  the  poor,  and  where  the  strength  of  the  strong  helps 
to  ease  the  burdens  of  the  weak.  Here  men  may  learn  that  the 
ideal  church  is  not  a  class  institution,  but  a  pure  democracy 
where  social  distinctions  are  leveled,  and  where  equal  privileges 
are  given  to  all  and  special  privileges  claimed  by  none.  Such 
churches  are  teaching  by  a  noble  example  the  possibility  of  a 
social  order  in  which  class  distinctions  do  not  breed  class  ahena- 
tions  and  antagonisms. 

Note  4.     Social  Work  through  Active  Philanthropy.    City 

churches  that  are  awake  to  their  opportunities  and  responsi- 
bilities are  organizing  their  activities  in  such  manner  as  to 
meet  the  special  problems  presented  by  their  environment. 
For  example,  the  Dudley  Street  Baptist  Church  in  Boston,  that 
a  generation  ago  was  a  strong  and  rich  family  church,  finds 
itself  now  surrounded  by  a  wholly  different  population.  Som^e 
of  the  neighboring  streets  harbor  large  numbers  of  the  worst 
criminals  in  the  city.  A  recent  census  of  certain  of  these  streets 
revealed  over  four  hundred  boys  who  had  become  a  terror  to 
the  commimity.  To  get  them  under  any  morally  restraining 
influence  seemed  well-nigh  impossible,  until  the  scheme  w^as 
devised  of  inviting  them  to  a  series  of  monthly  entertainments 
provided  especially  for  their  benefit,  admission  being  by  ticket. 
At  first  they  were  shy,  but  presently  filled  the  vestry  of  the 
church,  which  they  made  hideous  by  their  disorderly  conduct. 
Tactful  and  patient  treatment  after  a  while  brought  order  into 
this  pandemonium.  A  very  short  pointed  talk  at  the  beginning 
and  close  of  each  entertainment  is  all  that  is  given  in  the  way 
of  direct  moral  instruction.  No  general  organization  is  at- 
tempted except  a  common  name,  "  The  Dudley  Street  Boys," 
and  a  sign  by  which  they  recognize  one  another  and  their  church 
friends.  Many  of  them,  under  the  direction  of  the  church, 
have  joined  the  Boy  Scouts  of  America,  and  others  have  been 
taken  into  the  Lincoln  Comrades,  a  large  Sunday  school  class 
for  boys.  So  great  is  the  improvement  in  the  meetings  and  in 
the  neighborhood  that  one  seeing  them  can  hardly  believe  that 
they  are  the  same  boys  whose  lawlessness  only  two  years  ago 
made  them  a  menace  to  the  commimity.  Work  for  girls  is 
developing  along  lines  suited  to  them,  such  as  classes  in  sewing, 
cooking,  and  physical  culture.     The  well-known  Page  Class  for 


172  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^«« 

men,  niimbering  423  members,  is  a  most  efficient  agenc}^  for 
social  work.  The  twenty  committees,  such  as  athletic,  educa- 
tional, employment,  forum,  information,  public  welfare  and 
social  service,  have  been  appointed  only  as  needed,  and  are 
therefore  alive  and  at  work. 

Another  church  nearer  the  heart  of  the  city,  whose  surroimd- 
ings  have  changed  in  a  similar  way,  makes  itself  a  social  center. 
The  pastor  in  explaining  the  work  said,  *'  There  are  a  few  people 
so  good  that  they  find  all  the  social  enjoyment  they  want  in 
the  prayer  meeting,  and  a  great  many  so  bad  that  they  find 
their  society  in  a  saloon.  But  between  these  extremes  there  is 
a  great  mass  of  people,  who  are  not  good  enough  to  like  the 
prayer  meeting  and  not  bad  enough  to  resort  to  the  saloon.  We 
want  to  make  the  church  a  place  where  such  persons  can  meet 
for  wholesome  enjoyment,  where  young  people  of  both  sexes, 
living  in  boarding  houses,  will  have  a  better  place  to  ciiltivate 
acquaintance  than  the  street  or  the  theatre." 

The  social  work  of  city  churches  is  increasingly  directed 
toward  the  alleviation  of  bodily  as  well  as  spirittial  needs.  To 
this  end  they  are  co-operating  with  municipal  and  voluntary 
agencies  in  charity,  correction,  and  social  betterments.  Be- 
tween these  agencies  and  the  churches  there  is  need  of  a  better 
understanding.  There  are  innumerable  opportunities  for 
mutual  help.  The  civic  agencies  need  the  inspiring  power  of 
religious  as  well  as  humanitarian  motives;  and  the  churches 
certainly  need  to  avail  themselves  of  the  social  service  made 
possible  by  the  resources  and  trained  specialists  employed  by 
the  civic  agencies.  In  almost  every  city  there  are  organized 
charities  of  one  form  or  another  to  which  pastors  and  church 
visitors  can  direct  special  cases  of  need.  There  may  be  preju- 
dices to  be  removed.  Persons  who  through  misfortune  are 
facing  hunger,  cold,  and  homelessness  are  often  sensitive  about 
accepting  lielp.  They  must  be  led  to  see  that  provision  for 
their  needs  is  a  duty  which  society  owes  to  them.  Many 
ignorant  people  have  a  mortal  fear  of  hospitals.  Hundreds  of 
lives  that  would  perish  without  help  are  saved  by  church  mis- 
sionaries whose  sympathetic  kindness  inspires  confidence  and 
dispels  fears.  Rescue  missions  for  lost  men  and  women  are 
sustained  almost  wholly  by  the  churches  or  by  church  people. 

The  task  that  confronts  the  city  church  is  not  merely  to 
"save  souls,"  but  to  save  men  and  women  whose  lives  have 
been  wrecked  through  drunkenness  and  vice,  to  find  bread  for 


Tweniy-seven         j^^  Social  Wofk  oj  ike  City  ChuTck  173 

the  htingry,  clothes  for  the  naked,  work  for  the  idle,  and  homes 
for  families;  to  wipe  out  sliims,  saloons,  and  brothels;  to  protect 
the  lives  of  men,  women,  and  children  from  the  industrial  greed 
which  in  return  for  merciless  toil  gives  them  poverty,  rags, 
ignorance,  disease,  and  death.  The  social  work  of  the  city- 
church,  in  short,  is  to  make  the  city  a  place  where  it  will  be  as 
hard  as  possible  to  go  wrong  and  as  easy  as  possible  to  do  right. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  The  Socialized  Church,  Addresses  before  the  First  National  Confer- 
ence of  the  Social  Workers  of  Methodism.  {2)  The  Redemption  of  the 
City.  (3)  Lang:  The  Church  and  Its  Social  Mission.  (4)  Plantz:  The 
Church  and  the  Social  Problem.  (5)  Brown:  The  Social  Message  of  the 
Modern  Pulpit.     {6)  Commons:  Social  Reform  and  the  Church. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  is  meant  by  the  problem  of  the  city? 

2.  Why  is  the  problem  of  the  American  city  peculiarly  difficult? 

3.  What  should  be  the  attitude  of  the  churches  toward  civic  reform? 

4.  How  is  the  Second  Avenue  Baptist  Church  in  New  York  City  meeting 
the  problem  presented  by  its  present  environment? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE  LESSON. 

1.  Why  must  the  redemption  of  the  cities  rest  upon  the  churches? 


2.  What  has  been  the  position  of  the  churches  toward  the  present  social 
awakening? 


3.  How  does  current  preaching  show  that  city  churches  are  themselves 
awakening  to  the  importance  of  grappling  with  city  problems? 


4.  How  are  many  city  churches  affected  by  the  rapid  growth  of  the 
cities   in  which  they  are  situated? 


5.  How  can  such  churches  show  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity? 


174  The  Modern  Church  ^"^''^ 

6.  What  social  work  are  some  churches  doing? 

7.  How  may  churches  co-operate  with  other  agencies  for  the  redemption 
of  the  city? 

8.  What  is  the  social  work  to  be  accomplished  by  city  churches? 


SUBJECTS   FOR   SPECIAL    STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK   WORK. 

1.  What  is  your  church  doing  in  the  way  of  social  service? 

2.  What  other  or  further  service  of  this  kind  do  you  think  your  church 
might  profitably  undertake? 

3.  What  opportunities  are  there  for  charitable  work? 

4.  To  what  extent  should  churches  engage  directly  in  social  reforms, 
temperance,  settling  of  labor  troubles,  and  the  like? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Why  must  the  churches  engage  in  the  work  of  social  evangelism? 

2.  What  shall  we  think  of  the  frequent  assertion  that  the  business  of 
the  church  is  to  preach  the  Gospel,  not  to  engineer  social  reforms? 


Lesson  28.    A  WEEK  IN  A  CITY  MISSION. 

Scripture  Reading:  Ministry  to  Unfortunates.     Mt.  25:  31-40. 

Note  1.  Social  Wrecks.  The  great  majority  of  chiirch 
members  come  from  the  middle  classes.  They  are  self-support- 
ing, respectable  and  valuable  members  of  society.  Many  of 
them  are  poor,  but  they  are  well  above  the  poverty  line.  Those 
who  approach  this  line,  or  fall  below  it,  are  seldom  found  in  the 
churches.  They  gravitate  toward  the  slums  because  of  cheaper 
rentals  if  for  no  other  reason.  Even  here  multitttdes  of  them, 
notwithstanding  a  hard  struggle  for  existence,  are  law-abiding, 
temperate,  and  decent,  the  victims  of  misfortune  rather  than 
vice.  They  are  reached  to  some  extent  by  church  missions. 
Still  lower  than  these  are  the  social  degenerates,  men  and  women 


Twenty-eight 


A  Week  in  a  City  Mission 


175 


176  The  Modern  Church 


Lesson 


who  through  intemperance,  vice,  and  crime  have  fallen  about 
as  low  as  human  beings  can  go.  They  come  from  almost  every 
class  in  society.  Many  of  them  are  ragged,  filthy,  diseased, 
and  verminous  so  that  some  of  the  lowest  lodging  houses  will 
not  retain  them  overnight  until  they  have  been  forced  into  a 
bath  and  their  garments  thoroughly  disinfected.  These  are 
the  hobos,  the  hujnan  wrecks,  the  social  outcasts,  friendless, 
hopeless,  helpless,  whom  the  rescue  missions  seek  to  reach  and 
save. 

Note  2.  A  Typical  City  Rescue  Mission.  To  get  a  vivid 
idea  of  the  work  done  in  missions  of  this  kind,  it  will  be  better 
to  describe  that  done  in  a  single  conspic;uous  instance,  than  to 
undertake  a  description  in  general.  Details  may  vary,  but  the 
essential  nature  of  the  work  is  the  same  in  all.  The  example 
chosen  for  study  is  The  Union  Rescue  Mission,  64A  Dover 
vStreet,  in  Boston,  Mass. 

This  mission  was  fotmded  in  1889.  It  is  situated  in  one  of 
the  red-light  districts  of  the  city,  surrounded  by  cheap  tene- 
ments, pawnshops,  low  theatres,  gorgeous  saloons,  houses  of 
ill  repute,  a  region  where  ruin  holds  sway. 

The  mission  is  interdenominational.  Its  board  of  twenty- 
four  directors  is  chosen  from  the  leading  churches,  and  includes 
some  of  the  most  prominent  business  and  professional  men  of 
the  city.  The  president  of  the  board  is  treasurer  of  a  large 
jewelry  store  in  the  heart  of  the  city.  He  is  a  gifted  and  enthusi- 
astic speaker,  and  for  several  years  past  has  successfully  led 
the  Saturday  night  meeting.  The  vice-president  is  one  of 
Boston's  most  prominent  surgeons  and  physicians.  Both  of 
them  are  charter  members  of  the  mission  and  actively  identified 
with  aggressive  Christian  work.  One  of  the  directors  is  the 
well-known  editor  of  the  Christian  Endeavor  World.  All  these 
men  give  liberally  of  their  time,  money,  and  personal  service. 
The  regular  work  of  the  mission  is  carried  on  in  a  store  twenty 
by  seventy-five  feet,  by  a  superintendent,  an  assistant,  a  pianist, 
and  a  janitor.  Its  central  aim  is  "  the  rescue  of  lost  men  and 
women,  and  the  reconstruction  of  broken  lives." 

Note  3.  An  Evening  Meeting  at  the  Mission.  It  is  a  Sun- 
day evening,  not  different  from  any  other  in  the  week,  except  that 
the  attendance  is  usually  smaller  because  many  of  those  more 
or  less  regularly  present  are  away  at  church  services.  While 
yet  a  great  way  off,  an  illuminated  sign  tells  the  stranger  that 


Twenty-eight 


A  Week  in  a  City  Mission 


177 


178  The  Modern  Church  ^''"^ 

he  is  approaching  a  "  MISSION."  Signs  overhead  on  the 
window  give  the  further  information  that  it  is  the  "UNION 
RESCUE  MISSION,"  that  "  JESUS  SAVES,"  and  that  "  ALL 
ARE  WELCOME."  You  are  at  once  attracted  by  the  brilliant 
light  inside,  and,  on  entering,  are  welcomed  and  handed  a 
hymn  book  by  the  well-dressed,  able-bodied  janitor,  himself  a 
saved  man,  who  sits  at  a  small  table  recording  the  attendance. 
You  take  a  seat  half-way  up,  where  you  can  see  and  hear  all 
that  goes  on. 

The  ten  minutes  before  the  service  is  to  begin  gives  you  time 
to  study  the  gathering  that  already  well  fills  the  room.  You 
find  yourself  among  clean,  respectably  dressed  people,  and  you 
wonder  if  you  have  not  strayed  into  the  wrong  place.  But 
you  are  reassured  as  you  glance  toward  the  door  and  see  ten 
or  fifteen  men  who  look  as  if  they  are  badly  in  need  of  salvation. 
At  the  other  end  of  the  room  is  a  low  platform  occupied  by  a 
piano,  and  by  those  who  will  lead  the  meeting.  Already  you 
see  evidences  of  the  informal  spirit  which  pervades  the  place 
in  the  freedom  with  which  persons  come  and  go  as  they  please. 
This  continues  throughout  the  evening. 

Promptly  at  eight  o'clock  the  leader  enters  from  a  little 
office  in  the  rear,  and  invites  all  present  to  join  in  singing  the 
hymns  as  they  are  given  out.  Every  one  responds  heartily. 
Then  follows  a  brief  talk  on  the  power  of  Jesus  to  save  from  the 
power  of  sin,  and  an  appeal  to  trust  Him  for  a  full  and  immediate 
salvation.  Those  who  want  to  be  prayed  for,  or  who  desire 
prayer  for  others  not  present,  are  urged  to  make  it  known. 
Three  of  the  former  and  many  of  the  latter  respond  to  the  ap- 
peal. A  man  in  one  of  the  front  seats  kneels  and  offers  a  fervent 
prayer,  remembering  especially  the  requests  that  have  been 
made.  A  passage  of  Scripture  is  read,  a  collection  is  taken, 
and  then  the  leader  begins  the  main  address  of  the  evening. 
This  is  followed  by  a  call  for  personal  testimonies.  Men  and 
women  respond  in  rapid  succcession,  with  brief  stories  of  their 
own  rescue  from  the  degradation  and  infamy  of  sin,  of  their 
joy  in  their  new  life,  and  their  experience  of  the  keeping  power 
of  the  Christ,  to  whom  they  have  entrusted  their  lives. 

Now  the  puzzle  is  solved  why  they  are  here.  These  men  and 
women  are  not  ordinar}^  church  people  who  have  drifted  into  a 
religious  service.  They  are  miracles  of  physical,  moral,  spirit- 
ual, and  social  transformation  wrought  right  here.  With  all 
their  heart  they  love  the  place  where  they  were  bom  into  a  new 


Twenty-eight  ^    ^^^^   ^-^    ^   Q^fy   MtSsioU  179 

life,  and  saved  for  this  world  as  well  as  the  next.  There  is  no 
uncertainty  about  their  testimony.  They  are  as  sure  about 
what  Christ  has  done  for  them  as  they  are  that  the  sim  rises 
and  sets.  One  man's  testimony  consisted  of  passage  after 
passage  from  the  New  Testament  repeated  as  if  he  had  the 
book  at  his  tongue's  end.  Some  in  telling  of  the  reconstruction 
of  their  wrecked  life  use  the  homely  slang  of  the  street,  but 
in  sharp  contrast  with  them  one  employs  the  language  of  early 
refinement  and  culture. 

As  you  hear  these  testimonies,  you  feel  that  you  are  face 
to  face  with  a  spiritual  power,  such  as  one  hears  of  but  seldom 
witnesses  in  the  churches.  Christianity  here  is  not  an  easy- 
going profession  that  often  means  little  in  life,  but  a  tremendous 
reality.  These  prodigals  have  lived  among  the  swine,  but  now 
they  have  come  back  to  the  Father's  house;  they  were  possessed 
by  a  legion  of  devils,  but  now  they  sit  clothed  and  in  their 
right  mind.  They  know  that  no  power  but  that  of  Christ  could 
have  wrought  the  change,  and  they  love  nothing  so  much  as 
to  tell  others  of  what  a  mighty  Saviour  He  is. 

After  the  testimonies  the  leader  invites  those  who  want 
to  begin  a  new  life  to  raise  their  hands.  Several  trembling 
responses  are  made.  The  leader  goes  down  among  them  and 
leads  them  one  by  one,  often  staggering  from  intoxication, 
to  a  bench  in  front,  where  he  and  other  mission  workers  kneel 
with  them,  put  their  arms  arotmd  them,  pray  for  them  and 
get  them  to  pra}^  for  themselves.  In  nimiberless  instances, 
the  prayer  so  uttered  has  been  the  beginning  of  a  new  and 
blessed  life. 

The  meeting  closes  about  ten  o'clock.  The  names  of  those 
who  have  come  forward  are  taken  and  their  needs  look  into. 
In  many  cases  they  are  homeless  and  moneyless,  hungry  and 
without  work.  A  ticket  for  a  meal  and  a  night's  lodging  is 
given  them,  sometimes  also  a  New  Testament.  They  are 
requested  to  report  the  next  morning  at  the  mission,  and  so 
the  service  ends.  Such  meetings,  with  slight  variations,  are  held 
every  evening  in  the  week.  Saturday  evening  usually  witnesses 
the  largest  attendance.  During  the  day  cases  that  need 
special  help  are  looked  up  and  assistance  given.  Courts  and 
jails  and  social  plague  spots  are  visited.  These  mission  workers 
are  glad  to  go  anywhere  and  do  anything  to  save  lost  men 
and  women. 

From    Christmas   until    New   Year   free   midnight    suppers 


180  The  Modern  Church  ^^''°» 

are  given  to  men,  and  it  is  a  strange  and  touching  sight  to  see 
the  Mission  filled  at  this  hour. 

Note  4.  The  Kind  of  Gospel  Preached.  The  people  to 
whom  a  rescue  mission  ministers  are  not  converted  by  a  gospel 
in  kid  gloves  and  lavender.  Only  the  most  forcible  appeals, 
put  in  language  to  which  these  people  are  accustomed,  and 
based  on  a  blunt  recognition  of  their  actual  condition,  makes 
any  impression.  The  struggle  between  good  and  evil  is  to 
them  not  only  intensely  real,  but  personal.  To  this  class 
the  devil  is  not  an  abstract  personification  of  universal  evil, 
a  bugaboo  created  by  ignorance  and  superstition.  The  mis- 
sion workers  do  not  hesitate  to  present  him  as  a  being  who 
has  lured  his  victims  into  sin  and  who  now  has  them  by  the 
throat.  Nor  do  they  apologize  for  mentioning  hell.  Those 
whom  they  address  know  what  it  is.  They  have  already  ex- 
perienced its  torments,  and  they  know  there  is  no  future  abyss 
of  evil  deeper  than  that  into  which  they  have  already  fallen. 
Hence  there  is  no  philosophical  vagueness  to  the  preaching. 
It  is  the  cld-fashioned  Gospel  of  the  devil's  power  on  the  one 
hand  and  the  almighty  power  of  Christ  on  the  other.  Every 
night  witnesses  what  the  workers  call  "  a  hand-to-hand  fight 
with  the  devil,"  and  well-nigh  miraculous  victories  in  the  name 
of  Christ.  His  saving  power  has  been  tested  nightly  for  nearly 
a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  today  there  are  thousands  of  men 
and  women,  lifted  from  the  deepest  mire  of  sin,  who  for  years 
have  resisted  all  temptations,  and  who  now  stand  as  monuments 
of  His  mercy  and  grace. 

Note  5.  Samples  of  Testimonies.  "I  am  very  glad  to  add 
my  testimony  along  with  others  to  what  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
has  done  for  me.  Three  years  ago  Almighty  God  guided  me 
into  the  Dover  Street  Mission,  after  a  Hfe  of  sin,  drinking, 
gambling,  and  blasphemy.  When  Air.  Call  gave  the  invitation, 
I  went  up  and  asked  God  to  help  me  to  lead  a  better  life.  I 
thank  Almighty  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  that  today  all 
these  sins  have  dropped  out  of  my  life  as  though  they  had 
never  been  there.  I  had  tried  in  my  own  strength  to  lead  a 
better  life,  but  it  was  no  use.  I  fell  time  and  time  again.  I 
have  no  fears  for  myself  today.  For  three  years  I  have  been  a 
follower  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  my  faith  grows  stronger 
as  the  days  and  the  weeks  and  the  months  go  by." 

"  I  was  not  blufiing  or  fooling  when  I  went  to  Christ,  for  I 


Tweiily-eiglit 


A  Week  in  a  City  Mission  181 


needed  Him  badly,  and  after  the  devil  had  led  me  almost  to 
the  gates  of  hell  Jesus  took  me  in  and  saved  me." 

'*  The  Gold  Cm*e  and  all  lands  of  cures  could  not  touch  me, 
but  when  I  came  to  Christ  He  got  hold  of  the  very  part  in  my 
heart  that  needed  fixing  up,  and  He  has  kept  me  ever  since." 

"  Twelve  years  ago  I  was  a  down-and-out  drunken  woman, 
but  Jesus  saved  me  the  first  time  I  asked  Him,  and  He  has 
kept  me  every  day  since  that  time." 

"  It  is  now  over  ten  years  since  I  gave  my  heart  to  the  Son 
of  God,  and  have  never  had  a  slip-up  since.  I  believed  I  was 
saved  through  prayer,  and  I  am  kept  every  day  because  I 
keep  in  touch  with  JCvSus."    ' 

"  I  heard  a  man  say  the  other  day  that  the  day  of  miracles 
was  past,  and  I  felt  just  like  getting  up  and  shouting,  '  Wait  a 
minute  there.  Mister.  You  are  giving  the  people  a  lot  of  hot 
air,  for  I  belong  to  a  miracle  gang  myself.'  I  am  not  boasting, 
friends,  but  when  I  think  of  what  a  dirty  di'unkard  I  was  till 
Jesus  set  me  right,  I  know  there  is  a  supernatural  power,  and 
I  feel  it  tonight  all  over  me,  and  I  thank  Him  for  it." 

"  My  wife  tried  to  cure  me  by  putting  something  into  my 
coffee,  but  it  did  no  good  imtil  I  gave  my  heart  to  Jesus,  and 
then  I  was  saved  and  cured  at  the  same  time." 

"  The  people  down  here  say  they  hardly  know  me,  I've 
changed  so.  How  could  I  help  changing  when  the  old  devil 
was  taken  out,  and  Jesus  came  in!  Praise  His  dear  name  for- 
•ever!  How  He  does  help  and  bless  us  when  we  trust  Him, 
doesn't  He?  .  .  .  No  one  but  myself  and  God  knows  the  con- 
dition I  was  in — deep  in  sin,  a  confirmed  cigarette  fiend,  a 
miserable,  drunken,  degraded  female.  But  God  in  His  infinite 
mercy  forgave  my  sin  and  made  a  woman  of  me.  Oh,  praise 
the  Lord!  " 

Such  testimonies  could  be  quoted  by  the  thousand. 

Note  6.  Practical  Results.  In  rescue  mission  work  the 
conversion  experience,  or  the  first  start  at  the  meeting,  is  only 
the  beginning  of  the  new  life.  But  the  same  is  true  every- 
where. The  mission  must  care  for  its  converts,  as  well  as  the 
churches.  To  let  them  drift  is  in  either  case  to  lose  them.  The 
real  struggle  comes  after  the  start  has  been  rriade.  Saving  the 
down-and-out  means  much  more  than  preaching  the  Gospel  to 
them.  Such  men  must  be  surrounded  by  good  companion- 
ship.    They   must   be    helped   in    finding    jobs.     They   need 


182  The  Modern  Church  ^'''°" 

sympathy  in  their  weakness  and  patience  with  their  stiimbUngs, 
In  short,  persistent  training  is  essential  to  permanent  results. 

But  even  where  all  possible  help  is  extended,  it  cannot  be 
expected  that  every  one  who  professes  conversion  will  hold 
out.  It  is  imhappily  true  that  many  fall  back  sooner  or  later 
into  the  old  ways,  just  as  converts  do  in  the  churches.  What 
percentage  make  good  is  hard  to  say.  Most  persons  of  this 
class  belong  to  the  floating  population.  In  the  great  majority 
of  cases  it  is  impossible  to  keep  track  of  them  unless  they  them- 
selves keep  up  communication  with  the  mission.  But  even  at 
the  lowest  estimate,  the  number  who  are  saved  from  becoming 
a  burden  to  the  community  and  made  useful  members  of  society 
is  large  enough  to  repay  a  hundredfold  the  cost  of  maintaining 
the  mission,  to  say  nothing  of  the  "  joy  in  heaven  over  one 
sinner  that  repenteth." 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  The  Union  Rescue  Mission  publishes  annual  reports  of  its  work. 
While  they  are  free,  any  one  sending  for  them  would  do  well  to  inclose 
ten  cents  or  a  little  contribution  to  the  mission.  Almost  every  city  mis- 
sion prints  literature  of  some  kind  that  will  be  found  helpful  and  inspiring. 
(.?)  Hadley:  Down  in  Water  Street.  (3)  The  World's  Work,  December, 
1912;  description  of  "  The  Inasmuch  Mission  "  in  Philadelphia. 

REVIEW   QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  kind  of  preaching  will  help  to  redeem  a  modern  city? 

2.  What  example  of  a  better  social  order  can  the  city  churches  present? 

3.  What  is  a  socialized  church? 

4.  What  relation  should  the  city  church  sustain  toward  other  charitable 
and  reformatory  agencies? 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  To  what  class  of  people  do  city  rescue  missions  minister? 


2.  What  are  the  usual  surroundings  of  such  missions? 


3.  Describe  the  organization  of  the  Union  Rescue  Mission  in  Boston. 


Twenty-eight  ^  Week  til  a  City  Mission  183 

4.  How  does  it  attract  passers-by? 

5.  What  is  the  character  of  the  audiences? 

6.  Describe  briefly  the  service  at  an  ordinary  evening  meeting, 

7.  How  is  one  Hkely  to  be  impressed  by  the  testimonies? 


8.  How  does  the  mission  render  immediate  help  to  the  hungry  and  home- 
less? 


9.  How  does  the  preaching  differ  from  that  ordinarily  heard  in  the 
churches? 


10.  How  do  the  results  differ?. 


11.  What  permanent  good  is  derived  from  rescue  mission  work? 


SUBJECTS   FOR   SPECIAL   STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  was  the  attitude  of  Jesus  toward  social  outcasts?     (Lu.  7:39-50; 
15:1;  19:10;  Jo.  8:2-11.) 

2.  Why  are  such  people  often  more  responsive  to  the  Gospel  than  those 
who  are  outwardly  righteous  and  respectable? 

3.  Are  you  or  your  church  contributing  anything  in  money  or  service 
toward  city  mission  work?     If  not,  why  not? 


184  The  Modern  Church  ^«^°« 

4.  How  does  the  social  value  of  a  rescue  mission  compare  with  that  of 
an  average  church? 

QUESTION   FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

How  can  we  answer  those  who  say,  "  It  is  no  use  trying  to  deal  with 
certain  portions  of  the  community.  They  aire  irredeemable.  It  is  a 
waste  of  time,  energy,  and  money  "  ? 


Lesson  29.    REACHING  THE  IMMIGRANTS. 

Scripture  Reading:  A  Refuge  for  the  Nations.     Isa.  25:  4-8. 

Note  1.  The  Incoming  Aliens.  Only  those  who  have  given 
some  attention  to  the  number  of  foreigners  arriving  in  the 
United  States  have  any  conception  of  the  magnitude  of  the 
incoming  tide,  and  the  rapidity  with  which  it  has  increased  in 
recent  years.  The  number  of  foreigners  who  have  arrived 
during  each  of  the  periods  here  indicated  were: 

In  the  60  years  from  1821  to  1880,  inclusive,  10,181,044 
In  the  20  years  from  1881  to  1900,  inclusive,  8,934,177 
In  the  10  years  from  1901  to  1910,  inclusive,  8,795,396 
The  maximum  figure  for  a  single  year,  1,285,349,  was  reached 
in  1907.  The  sum  total  of  immigrants  during  the  first  ten 
years  of  the  present  century,  1901-1910,  exceeded  by  nearly 
two  and  one-quarter  millions  the  entire  population  of  the  six 
New  England  States,  according  to  the  census  of  1910.  It  was 
very  nearly  twice  as  large  as  the  combined  population  of 
Arizona,  Colorado,  Idaho,  Montana,  Nevada,  New  Mexico, 
North  Dakota,  Oregon,  South  Dakota,  Utah,  and  Wyoming. 
No  migration  known  in  history  has  equaled  this.  It  wotdd  be 
wrong,  however,  to  suppose  that  all  these  aliens  remain  a  perma- 
nent part  of  our  poptilation.  Some  of  them  stay  only  a  while, 
and  then  return.  The  government  has  kept  no  account  of  the 
departures.  Possibly  a  quarter  of  them  drift  back  to  their 
former  homes. 

Note  2.  Whence  the  Aliens  Come.  The  early  immigrants 
who  came  between  1776  and  1846  were  mainly  English,  Scotch, 
and  Dutch,  with  a  sprinkling  of  other  nationalities.  They  were 
closely  akin  to  the  colonists  who  had  already  settled  the  country 
and  built  up  the  government.     The  first  great  wave  of  immi- 


Twenty-nine  Reaching  tlw  Immigrants  185 

grants  consisted  mainly  of  Irish  who  sought  refuge  from  the 
terrible  famines  that  followed  the  failure  of  the  potato  crops  in 
1845  and  1846.  Close  on  the  heels  of  this  came  a  wave  of 
Germans  who  had  been  imsettled  by  the  political  disturbances  of 
1848.  A  third  wave  set  in  at  the  beginning  of  the  sixties.  This 
consisted  of  Scandinavians  froin  Sweden,  Norway,  and  Den- 
mark. Twenty  years  later  a  fotirth  wave  began  to  flow  in 
from  southeastern  Europe.  This  has  consisted  mainly  of 
Slavic,  Latin,  and  Jewish  races. 

The  following  statement  compiled  by  the  United  States 
Bureau  of  Immigration  shows  the  varied  character  of  this  later 
stream  of  immigrants,  arriving  during  a  single  month  (March, 
1912),  taken  at  random:  African  (black)  246;  Armenian  397; 
Bohemian,  Moravian  807;  Bulgarian,  Servian,  Montenegrin 
2,293;  Chinese  65;  Dalmatian,  Bosnian,  Herzegovinian  639; 
Dutch,  Flemish  1,512;  Enghsh  3,495;  Finnish  360;  French 
1,443;  German  6,092;  Greek  5,428;  Hebrew  5,860;  Irish  1,619; 
Italian  22,588;  Japanese  236;  Lithuanian  665;  Magyar  2,892; 
Mexican  2,429;  PoHsh  9,813;  Portuguese  943;  Roumanian  1,441; 
Russian  3,167;  Ruthenian  3,292;  Scandinavian  3,155;  Scotch 
1,253;  Slovac  3,156;  Spanish  595;  Spanish  American  77;  Syrian 
155;  Turkish  108;  Welsh  211;  West  Indian  (except  Cuban)  38; 
other  peoples  670;  Total  91,185.  The  names  of  Slavic  peoples 
are  printed  in  italics. 

Note  3.  Characteristics  of  the  Aliens.  The  three  eariier 
waves  of  immigration  came  from  northwestern  Europe.  The 
Irish,  though  belonging  to  the  Celtic  race,  had  lived  for  a 
thousand  years  under  English  rule  and  spoke  the  English 
language.  The  Scandinavians  and  Germans  belonged  to  the 
same  original  stock  as  the  English,  with  similar  habits,  institu- 
tions, and  traditions.  Moreover,  they  were  almost  without 
exception  Protestants,  with  an  exceedingly  low  percentage  of 
illiteracy.  The  report  of  the  United  States  Commissioner  for 
education  for  1909  gives  this  percentage  at  one-tenth  of  one 
per  cent,  or  only  one  person  out  of  a  thousand  over  fifteen  years 
of  age  unable  to  read  and  write.  The  significance  of  this  number 
is  seen  the  more  clearly  w^hen  compared  with  the  fact  that  the 
same  report  gives  the  number  of  native-bom  illiterates  in  Massa- 
chusetts at  five  in  a  thousand;  in  New  York  State,  thirteen;  and 
in  Pennsylvania,  twenty-five.  England  sent  nearly  sixty  illiter- 
ates in  a  thousand  and  Ireland  one  himdred  and  seventy. 


186  The  Modern  Church  ^^«°« 

This  shows  that  prior  to  1875,  despite  a  large  influx  of  foreigners, 
the  population  of  our  country  was  relatively  homogeneous,  and 
that  a  well-defined  national  character  was  in  process  of  forma- 
tion. 

The  peril  from  immigration  began  to  be  realized  when,  after 
1875,  the  incoming  tide  shifted  from  northwestern  to  south- 
eastern Europe,  and  from  Anglo-Saxon,  Celtic  (Irish) ,  and  alHed 
races  to  the  Slavic  and  Latin  (or  Iberic)  races.  All  of  these, 
except  a  great  multitude  of  Jews,  are  adherents  of  the  Greek 
and  Roman  Catholic  churches.  Oppressed  for  ages  by  despotic 
governments,  they  do  not  know  what  free  political  institutions 
mean.  That  instinctive  love  of  law  and  order,  and  reverence 
for  social,  moral,  and  patriotic  ideals  on  which  American  insti- 
tutions rest,  they  do  not  understand.  Many  are  deplorably 
ignorant.  From  the  report  quoted  in  the  preceding  note,  we 
learn  that  Hungary  sends  over  280  illiterates  in  a  thousand, 
Italy  380,  Russia  (mostly  Jews  and  Poles)  627,  Servia  860,  and 
Roumania  890.  The  illiteracy,  the  prejudices,  the  national  and 
social  habits  of  these  people,  at  such  a  vast  remove  from  con- 
ditions that  prevail  here,  seem  to  make  their  assimilation  a 
serious  problem.  The  number  that  came  here  in  four  years 
(1905  to  1908)  is  twice  as  large  as  the  estimated  number  of 
Goths  and  Vandals  who  overwhelmed  the  Roman  Empire,  well- 
nigh  destroyed  civilization  and  precipitated  Europe  into  the 
dark  ages.  The  irruption  of  such  a  mass  into  our  population 
cannot  fail  to  be  attended  by  grave  perils,  and  it  is  doubtful  if 
it  can  be  assimilated  without  producing  a  deep  and  disturbing 
impression  on  the  American  type  and  character. 

Note  4.  The  Church  and  the  Aliens.  Many  of  the  recent 
arrivals  may  seem  undesirable  as  material  out  of  which  to  make 
good  American  citizens,  yet  the  situation  is  by  no  means  hope- 
less. Even  the  poorest  and  most  ignorant  of  them  are  thrifty, 
industrious  and  honesst,  and  have  brought  a  vast  productive 
power  into  the  industries  of  the  nation.  The  adults  may  be 
difficult  to  transform,  especially  in  view  of  their  disposition  to 
settle  among  their  own  people,  and  build  up  colonies  removed 
from  contact  with  native  Americans — colonies  that  retain  their 
mother  tongue,  their  habits,  their  traditions,  almost  as  tena- 
ciously as  in  their  European  homes.  In  many  cases  they  cannot 
be  reached  by  Americanizing  influences,  and  must  be  left  as 
vmassimilated  portions  of  the  community.     The  hope  for  the 


Twenty -nine  Reochifig  the  Immigrants  187 

futiire  lies  in  the  children.  No  one  who  has  seen  the  pride  and 
enthusiasm  with  which  the  children  in  a  city  school,  coming 
sometimes  from  more  than  a  score  of  nationalities,  salute  the 
flag,  the  eagerness  with  which  they  absorb  American  ideas  and 
acquire  American  habits,  and  the  lofty  scorn  with  which  they 
treat  the  foreign  speech  and  customs  of  their  parents,  can  doubt 
the  quality  of  their  future  citizenship. 

The  foreigners  need  to  be  not  only  Americanized,  but  Chris- 
tianized. They  may  become  Americanized  and  be  made  ten- 
fold worse  than  they  were,  or  they  may  become  models  of  social 
and  civic  righteousness.  It  all  depends  on  what  class  of  natives 
gets  control  of  them.  vSimple  patriotism,  to  say  nothing  of 
Christianity,  demands  that  every  American  who  has  the  welfare 
of  his  cotintry  at  heart  should  exert  himself  to  surround  these 
strangers  with  influences  that  shall  make  them  a  boon  and  not  a 
menace.  Especially  does  this  demand  extend  to  the  churches. 
If  the  United  States  are  to  remain  Christian,  the  Christians 
themselves  must  see  the  responsibility  that  these  incoming 
millions  lay  upon  them.  Each  one  means  an  opportunity. 
Few  of  them  have  any  knowledge  of  our  language.  They  are 
often  ^Yithout  friends,  and  are  compelled  to  accept  any  work 
that  offers  them  a  bare  hving.  They  are  deeply  grateful  to 
any  one  who  holds  out  a  helping  hand.  Churches  that  do  this 
have  fotind  them  quite  responsive  to  direct  religious  appeals. 
In  very  many  instances  the  newcomer  leaves  his  formal  religion 
behind.  Unless  warm-hearted  Protestants  give  him  an  oppor- 
tunity to  become  acquainted  with  a  genuine  Christianity,  he  is 
almost  certain  to  drift  into  social  or  anti-Christian  heresies  that 
make  him  a  peril  to  the  community. 

That  the  churches  are  in  some  measure  alive  to  their  obliga- 
tions is  showTa  by  the  direct  work  for.  the  immigrants  done  by 
home  mission  societies  of  all  the  leading  denominations.  It  is 
of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  first  impressions  of  America 
shall  be  favorable.  To  this  end  some  thirty  or  forty  mission- 
aries of  different  nationalities,  representing  these  Christian  bodies, 
are  constantly  on  hand  at  Ellis  Island,  New  York  City,  to  show 
kindness  to  the  strangers,  to  help  them  in  perplexity  and  trouble, 
and  to  protect  them  from  the  hordes  of  sharpers  who  lie  in  wait 
to  mislead,  rob,  and  ruin  them.  Hundreds  of  thousands  of 
Bibles  and  New  Testaments  in  scores  of  languages  are  given 
away.     In  numberless  cases  this  touch  of  practical  Christianity,. 


188  The' Modern  Church  ^^^^«« 

followed  by  a  reading  of  the  Gospels,  has  been  the  means  of 
winning  whole  families  into  Christian  iife  and  service. 

More  needs  to  be  done  for  the  immigrants  after  they  leave  the 
ports  of  entry.  Almost  every  church,  were  it  so  disposed,  could 
find  within  easy  reach  these  newcomers  whose  responsiveness 
to  kindness  and  sympathy  would  soon  transform  them  into 
valuable  church  members.  Many  churches  that  are  now  dwin- 
dling would  take  on  renewed  life  and  strength  if  their  members, 
instead  of  contenting  themselves  with  doling  out  an  annual 
pittance  to  missions  in  Asia  or  Africa,  could  be  awakened  to  a 
real  missionary  zeal  in  behalf  of  the  foreigners  at  their  own 
doors.  Some  of  the  greatest  Protestant  churches  in  the  country 
today  were  on  the  point  of  being  abandoned  ten  or  twenty 
years  ago.  But  they  have  grovvm  to  their  present  strength  by 
revolutionizing  their  methods  and  addressing  themselves  to 
the  needy  thousands  in  their  own  neighborhood.  The  Gospel 
is  still  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  unto  the  Latins  and  Slays 
as  well  as  to  the  Anglo-Saxons  and  Teutons. 

ADDITIONAL   READING   REFERENCES. 

{1)  Grose:  Aliens  or  Americans;  The  Incoming  Millions.  Both  of  these 
volumes  are  sympathetic  treatments  of  the  immigrant  problem  from  the 
Christian  point  of  view.  {2)  Steiner:  On  the  Trail  of  the  Immigrant;  The 
Immigrant  Tide,  Its  Ebb  and  Flow.  {3)  Hall:  Immigration  and  Its  Effects 
upon  the  United  States;  advocates  restriction.  (4)  Mayo-Smith:  Emi- 
gration  and  Immigration.  One  of  the  most  comprehensive  and  scholarly 
works  yet  written  on  the  subject.  (5)  Woods:  Americans  in  Process. 
(6)  Riis :   How  the  Other  Half  Lives. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  kind  of  persons  do  the  city  rescue  missions  try  to  reach? 

2.  What  are  the  usual  surroundings  of  such  missions? 

3.  What  is  the  style  of  preaching  adopted? 

4.  What  do  such  missions  accomplish? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE   LESSON. 

1,  State  in  general  the  rate  at  which  immigration  has  increased  during 
the  last  ninety  years. 


2.  What  four  great  waves  of  immigration  have  been  received  during 
this  time? 


Twenty-nine  Reaching  the  Immigrants  189 

3.  How  many  leading  nationalities  were  represented  among  the  arrivals 
during  a  single  month  in  1912? 


4.  What  was  the  general  character  of  the  immigrants  who  came  between 
1820  and  1880? 


5.  How  was  the  character  of  our  population  affected  by  the  first  three 
waves  of  immigrants? 


6.  What  is  the  character  of  the  majority  of  immigrants  since  1880? 


7.  Mention  some  of  the  perils  and  some  of  the  benefits  arising  from  this 
later  immigration. 


8.  What  portion  of  the  immigrant  tide  is  most  quickly  and  permanently 
Americanized? 


9.  What  responsibility  rests  upon  the  churches  respecting  the  immi- 
grants? 


10.  What  are  the  churches  doing  to  Christianize  them? 


SUBJECTS  FOR   SPECIAL   STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  In  view  of  the  character  of  the  later  stream  of  immigrants,  would  it 
be  wise,  or  unwise,  to  restrict  their  coming?     Give  reasons  for  your  opinion. 

2.  How  is  your  church  relating  itself  to  the  foreigners  in  its  neighborhood? 

3.  Why  is  it  usually  easier  to  contribute  money  for  the  Christianizing 
of  people  ten  thousand  miles  away  than  to  work  for  those  at  your  own 
door? 


190  The  Modern  Church  ^'""^ 

4.  Have  you  personally  ever  done  anything  to  help  make  an  immigrant 
a  better  American  citizen? 

5.  State  some  reasons  why  we  should  not  despair  of  our  American  insti- 
tutions and  Protestant  Christianity  in  meeting  the  problem  of  immigration. 

QUESTION  FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

How  can  we  help  to  keep  America  a  Christian  nation? 


Lesson  30,    THE  PROBLEM  OF  THE  COUNTRY  CHURCH. 

Scripture  Reading:  An  Admonition  to  a  Weak  Church.     Rev.  3:  1-6. 

Note  1.  The  Case  of  the  Country  Churches.  The  prodigious 
growi;h  of  modem  cities  has  produced  a  mass  of  problems 
(Lesson  26)  that  have  attracted  the  attention  of  students  and 
philanthropists.  In  a  general  way  it  was  known  that  rural 
conditions  also  were  changing  and  that  the  country  churches 
were  facing  conditions  that  threatened  not  only  their  welfare, 
but  their  existence.  But  while  every  phase  of  the  city  problem 
has  received  careful  study,  and  has  produced  a  voluminous 
literature,  the  case  of  the  country  church  has  been  greatly  over- 
looked, and  its  importance  underestimated.  We  forget  how 
much  the  nation  owes  to  them.  A  single  country  church  in 
Massachusetts  has  given  to  the  nation  fifty-six  soldiers,  twenty- 
nine  ministers  and  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  teachers,  to 
say  nothing  of  scores  of  men  and  women  distinguished  in  pro- 
fessional, industrial,  and  commercial  life.  More  than  half  of 
the  prominent  men  in  New  York  City,  more  than  half  of  our 
college  professors,  and  seven-eighths  of  all  our  ministers  come 
from  rural  life.  To  suffer  this  steady  stream  of  leaders  into 
national  affairs  to  dry  up  would  be  an  unspeakable  calamity. 

Note  2.  Recent  Rural  Surveys.  An  accurate  knowledge  of 
facts  must  precede  an  intelligent  suggestion  of  remedies. 
Though  the  literature  bearing  on  the  problem  of  the  country 
church  is  as  yet  comparatively  small,  it  is  rapidly  increasing. 
Many  of  the  books  or  magazine  articles  deal  with  individual 
attempts  to  solve  the  problem,  or  with  conditions  as  they  exist 
in  a  single  parish.  Others  are  general  discussions  of  principles 
with  few  references  to  details.  For  the  purpose  of  this  lesson 
and  the  next  the  most  serviceable  literatiure  is  the  series  of  re- 


^'"''■^y  The  Problem  of  the  Country  Church  191 

ports  of  Rural  Surveys  conducted  in  Pennsylvania,  Illinois, 
Indiana,  Missouri,  Maryland,  Kentucky,  and  Tennessee  by 
the  Board  of  Home  Missions  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  The 
first  four  furnish  most  of  the  facts  made  use  of  in  these  lessons. 
The  first  covers  fifty-three  communities  situated  in  eight  coun- 
ties in  central  Pennsylvania;  the  second,  three  coimties — Mar- 
shall, Boone,  and  Daviess — situated  respectively  in  northern, 
centra],  and  southern  Indiana;  the  third,  fifty-four  commimities 
scattered  throughout  thirteen  coimties  in  central  Illinois;  and 
the  fourth,  three  contiguous  coimties — Knox,  Adair,  and  Sulli- 
van— in  northeastern  Missouri.  The  purpose  imderlying  aU 
these  surveys  is  a  thorough,  scientific,  and  absolutely  impartial 
study  of  economic,  sociological,  educational,  and  religious  con- 
ditions as  they  actually  exist  in  wide  and  typical  areas. 

Note  3.  Diminishing  Rural  Population.  In  1900,  the  rural 
population  of  the  United  States  constituted  sixty-three  per  cent 
of  the  whole;  in  1910,  it  had  fallen  to  fifty-four  per  cent.  Not- 
withstanding the  increase  in  population  of  the  whole  coimtry 
during  these  ten  years  exceeded  ten  miUions,  many  of  the  rural 
districts  suffered  actual  losses.  The  three  Indiana  coimties 
mentioned  above  show  a  decrease  of  4,759,  or  nearly  six  per 
cent  of  the  whole.  In  the  three  Missouri  counties  it  is  1,788, 
or  a  Httle  over  three  per  cent.  This  means  that  while  during 
this  time  the  towms  have  grown  rapidly,  their  growth  has  not 
counterbalanced  the  alarming  decrease  in  the  open  country. 

Note  4.  Economic  and  Social  Factors.  Many  of  the  farm- 
ers in  recent  years  have  enjo3^ed  great  prosperity.  The  result 
is  that  great  numbers  have  moved  into  the  adjacent  towns  and 
villages  in  order  to  enjoy  a  better  social  environment  for  them- 
selves, and  better  educational  advantages  for  their  children. 
The  farms  are  leased  to  tenants  who  occupy  them  for  a  short 
time.  These  tenants  take  little  interest  in  matters  that  concern 
the  welfare  of  the  community  and  still  less  in  the  churches.  In 
the  four  districts  reported  in  the  Rural  Surveys,  68  per  cent  of 
the  farms  were  operated  by  owners,  and  32  by  tenants.  In  the 
Illinois  commimities  the  number  of  tenants  rose  to  53  per  cent, 
while  the  owmers  fell  to  47.  The  increase  of  tenants  is  disastrous 
to  the  churches. 

Farming  communities,  to  their  own  detriment,  are  often  back- 
ward in  providing  recreation  in  any  form.  The  Indiana  report 
says:  "  Every  one  remarks   about  the  steady  decHne  of  all 


192  The  Modern  Church  ^^"^'^ 

social  activities.  In  Daviess  County  in  one  community  the 
last  dance  was  held  seventeen  years  ago,  the  last  church  social 
two  years  ago.  The  people  have  only  one  picnic  a  year.  The 
social  and  recreational  life  of  another  community  is  confined  to 
home  talent  and  croquet.  Another  township  finds  that  its 
last  picnic  was  twelve  years  ago.  In  another  community  it 
was  found  that  the  Catholics  had  had  one  picnic  a  year,  while 
the  Protestants  averaged  one  in  five  years."  In  about  one-half 
of  the  Indiana  communities,  they  have  one  or  more  gatherings 
in  which  the  entire  population  takes  part,  such  as  "  Old  Settlers' 
Picnics,"  "  Harvest  Home  Festivals,"  "  Agricultural  Fairs," 
and  legal  holiday  celebrations.  These  help  to  promote  that 
spirit  of  co-operation,  the  lack  of  which  is  one  of  the  chief 
obstacles  to  the  country  church. 

Another  noticeable  feature  in  many  country  districts  is  the 
lack  of  leadership.  In  sixty-seven  per  cent  of  the  Indiana 
communities  the  people  took  an  actual  pride  in  thus  keeping 
life  on  a  dead  level.  In  the  Pennsylvania  communities  this 
lack  of  leadership  "  amounts  to  a  disease."  When  any  good 
thing  is  proposed  and  approved  by  a  company  of  farmers  in 
these  churches,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  find  a  leader,  because 
every  one  thinks  himself  as  good  as  his  neighbor.  "  What  one 
man  starts  to  do,  another  man  at  once  forbids.  It  seems  to  be 
the  duty  of  some  man  in  every  parish  to  head  off  any  man  who 
starts  anything." 

Note  5.  Conditions  in  Country  Churches.  Few  country 
churches  provide  for  other  services  than  preaching  and  a 
Sunday  school.  In  the  232  Indiana  churches  only  nine  per 
cent  of  those  in  the  rural  districts  have  more  than  one  room, 
and  this  is  made  to  hold  from  six  to  nineteen  Sunday  school 
classes.  With  such  lack  of  accommodations  the  school  cannot 
feed  the  church  membership  as  it  should. 

In  Boone  County  only  seventeen  churches  out  of  eighty-two 
have  resident  pastors,  fifty  have  non-resident  pastors,  and 
fifteen  have  none.  Nearly  all  country  ministers  live  in  towns 
or  villages.  Some  care  for  four  or  five  churches,  and  some 
churches  have  preaching  only  on  Saturday  evening  or  once  a 
month.  As  so  many  ministers  live  at  a  distance  from  the 
communities  in  which  they  preach,  they  exert  little  influence 
on  the  people  whom  they  visit  only  for  an  hour  a  week  or  a 
month.     The  sennons,  too,  are  prepared  for  the  town  people, 


^^*'''y  The  Problem  of  the  Country  Church  193 

and  seldom  or  never  touch  the  interests  of  the  farmers.  Out  of 
231  Protestant  chiu"ches  in  the  three  Indiana  counties  scarcely 
one  tries  to  minister  to  a  rural  congregation. 

In  these  three  coimties  there  are  forty-one  denominations 
representing  almost  every  conceivable  phase  of  religious  belief. 
Half  of  these  chiu'ches  could  easily  be  spared.  They  represent 
chiefly  denominational  jealousy  and  strife.  The  225  churches 
enumerated  in  the  Illinois  survey  represent  twenty  denomina- 
tions. The  ministers  naturally  try  to  serve  their  own  denom- 
inations and  not  the  community  at  large.  Notwithstanding 
this  overchurching,  nearly  one  half  of  the  population  is  im- 
churched.  They  are  people  on  whom  the  church  has  no  influ- 
ence, and  who  have  no  use  for  ministers.  This  feeling  is  often 
justified  by  the  preachers  themselves,  many  of  whom  regard 
preaching  and  attending  weddings  and  funerals  as  their  only 
business. 

In  many  country  churches,  religious  activity  is  crowded  into 
three  to  six  weeks  of  "  special  meetings."  Other  work  is  in 
large  measure  set  aside.  Prayer  meetings  are  held  every  after- 
noon, the  community  is  stirred,  sinners  are  converted,  and 
backsliders  reclaimed.  Then  the  minister  leaves  to  begin  a 
similar  work  in  one  of  his  three  or  four  other  churches.  The 
converts  are  not  cared  for,  the  prayer  meetings  are  discontinued, 
and  soon  the  church  is  down  at  its  former  low  level,  waiting  for 
another  revival. 

A  deplorable  condition  is  the  scarcity  of  young  men.  In  the 
173  churches  in  Marshall  and  Boone  Coimties,  46  contain  not 
a  single  young  man.  A  still  larger  number  fail  to  interest  more 
than  two  or  three.  They  bemoan  the  irreligiousness  of  the 
young  people  while  clinging  to  methods  that  repel  and  opposing 
methods  that  attract  them. 

In  view  of  these  conditions,  it  is  not  surprising  that  in  the  225 
churches  covered  by  the  Illinois  survey,  77  were  growing,  45 
standing  still,  56  decreasing,  and  47  abandoned;  that  in  the 
three  Missouri  counties  with  180  Protestant  chiurches,  21  are 
wholly  abandoned,  while  of  the  remaining  159,  a  large  number 
are  used  only  occasionally;  that  of  these  21  abandoned  churches 
19  are  in  the  country  and  2  in  villages;  or  that  in  Marshall 
County,  Indiana,  with  its  91  churches,  32.2  per  cent  are  grow- 
ing, 20.5  per  cent  standing  still,  and  42.3  per  cent  losing  groimd. 
In  the  168  Pennsylvania  churches,  50  per  cent  are  growing,  26 


194  The  Modern  Church  ^^"°" 

per  cent  are  stationary,  and  24  are  decreasing.     This  is  the 
best  showing  in  the  four  siirveys. 

From  the  facts  here  given  it  is  obvious  that  the  problem  of  the 
country  churches  is  not  one  that  can  be  met  by  mere  preaching 
or  new  methods  of  church  work.  The  deficiencies  of  the 
churches  are  closely  interwoven  with  the  economic,  social,  and 
educational  defects  of  rural  districts  as  a  whole.  The  business 
of  farming,  the  modes  of  living,  the  social  organization  need  to 
be  radically  reconstructed;  anew  rural  consciousness  aroused. 
The  problem  of  the  church  is  only  a  part  of  the  still  greater 
problem  of  rebuilding  rural  life  in  harmony  with  the  best 
American  ideals. 

ADDITIONAL  READING   REFERENCES. 

{1)  The  Rural  Surveys  described  in  Note  2,  above,  may  be  obtained 
from  Rev.  Warren  H.  Wilson,  Ph.D.,  Superintendent,  156  Fifth  Ave., 
New  York  City.  That  on  Indiana  is  especially  full  and  valuable  and  was 
made  in  co-operation  with  the  Interdenominational  Council  of  the  Churches 
of  that  State.  (,?)  On  "  The  Rural  Problem  and  the  Country  Minister," 
see  Atlantic  Monthly,  September,  1912.  {3)  A  rather  more  optimistic 
paper  on  "  The  Country  Church  "  is  found  in  Recent  Christian  Progress, 
pp.  397-403.  U)  Butterfield:  The  Church  and  the  Rural  Problem.  (5) 
Ashenhurst:  The  Day  of  the  Country  Church.  {6)  Wilson:  The  Church  of 
the  Open  Country. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  To  what  extent  have  foreigners  arrived  in  this  country  in  recent 
years? 

2.  What  is  the  character  of  this  immigration? 

3.  Why  are  they  liable  to  be  a  menace  to  American  institutions? 

4.  What  can  the  churches  do  to  Americanize  and  Christianize  these 
incoming  millions? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE  LESSON. 

1.  Why  is  the  saving  and  strengthening  of  the  country  churches  of  the 
utmost  importance? 

2.  What  are  the  most  reliable  sources  of  information  concerning  them? 


3.  What  is  the  primary  cause  of  their  weakness? 


Thirty  jji^  Problem  of  the  Country  Church  195 

4.  How  are  the  churches  affected  by  the  substitution  of  tenants  for 
owners? 


5.  How  are  they  affected  by  the  lack  of  recreation? 


6.  How,  by  lack  of  leadership; 


7.  How  are  most  country  churches  limited  in  respect  to  accommodations 
for  carrying  on  religious  or  social  work? 


8.  To  what  extent  are  they  provided  with  pastors  and  pastoral  work? 


9.  How  are  country  churches  weakened  by  denominationalism? 


10.  Why  is  their  revival  work  largely  fruitless? 


11.  What  is  their  attitude  toward  young  people? 


12.  What  are  the  general  results  of  these  conditions? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL   STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  If  your  church  is  in  or  near  the  country,  find  out  how  many  churches 
there  are  in  your  county;  how  many  denominations  are  represented;  how 


196  The  Modern  Church  ^*«« 

many  of  the  churches  are  in  towns  and  villages;  or  in  the  open  country; 
how  many  members  in  each  church;  how  the  total  membership  compares 
with  the  population;  how  many  churches  have  ministers;  how  many 
ministers  serve  more  than  one  church;  how  many  churches  have  been 
growing  during  the  last  ten  years,  how  many  have  been  standing  still, 
and  how  many  have  lost  ground.  Ascertain,  if  possible,  the  reasons  for 
each  of  these  conditions.  It  might  be  of  great  interest  to  have  the  class 
co-operate  in  making  such  a  local  survey,  and  in  adding  any  other  informa- 
tion that  may  be  available  respecting  Sunday  schools,  accommodations, 
etc. 

2.  If  yours  is  a  city  church,  gather  as  much  of  the  above  information  as 
you  can  concerning  the  churches  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  place  where 
you  spent  your  last  summer  vacation. 

3.  How  does  your  own  observation  of  the  condition  of  country  churches 
tally  with  those  described  in  the  lesson? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  chief  reasons  for  the  decrease  in  country  popu- 
lation? 

2.  What  is  your  opinion  of  the  wisdom  of  a  few  families  starting  a  church 
of  their  own  denomination  where  existing  churches  are  abundantly  able 
to  care  for  the  population? 

3.  How  can  churches  be  induced  to  combine? 


Lesson  31.    NEW   LIFE   IN   COUNTRY   CHURCHES. 

Scripture  Reading:  The  Mountains  of  Israel  to  be  Blessed. 
Ezek.  36:8-15. 

Note  1.    The  Country  Church  a  Vital  Part  of  the  Community. 

One  of  the  conspicuous  features  of  American  rttral  life  has  been 
its  individualism.  The  pioneer  expended  his  strength  in  con- 
quering the  wilderness,  and  in  protecting  himself,  his  family, 
and  his  property.  This  life  was  lonely.  He  had  to  make  his 
way  for  himself.  His  religious  interests  were  likewise  limited. 
As  rural  communities  grew  up,  the  same  individualistic  feelings 
survived  and  passed  into  the  churches.  Most  of  these  con- 
sidered their  duty  done  when  they  had  provided  an  occasional 
preaching  service  and  taken  up  a  collection.  They  simply 
shared  in  an  individualism  which,  however  necessar}^  at  first, 
becomes  a  menace  to  progress,  when  progress  depends  on  co- 
operation. With  all  the  churches  for  ages  past  they  believed 
and  taught  that  this  world  is  a  wilderness  of  woe,  that  life  is 
but  a  pilgrimage,  and  that  man's  true  home  is  the  heavenly, 


Thirty-one  ]\j-^^  j^^j^  ^^  Country  Cliurches  197 

The  difficulty  with  the  whole  countryside  is  that,  while  the  rest 
of  the  world  has  in  recent  years  experienced  a  tremendous  social 
awakening,  it  remains  asleep.  Churches  and  communities 
need  to  be  aroused  to  the  fact  that  their  salvation  depends  on 
co-operation  in  measures  for  the  common  welfare,  and  in  move- 
ments that  make  for  the  maintenance  of  American  and  Christian 
ideals.  The  rural  churches  are  so  closeh^  related  to  the  com- 
munity in  which  they  are  planted  that  they  rise  or  fall  together. 

Note  2.  What  Country  Communities  Need.  The  first  step, 
then,  toward  the  solution  of  the  rural  problem  is  the  awakening 
of  the  community  to  the  fact  that  it  is  a  community  with  com- 
mon interests,  and  not  an  aggregation  of  unrelated  units,  like 
potatoes  in  a  bag.  Individualism  is  blind  selfishness.  A  really 
enlightened  selfishness  shows  a  person  that  his  own  highest 
good  cannot  be  attained  except  through  the  welfare  of  all.  As 
co-operation  has  become  the  watchword  in  all  forms  of  business 
and  industry,  so  it  must  become  the  dominant  note  in  every- 
thing that  pertains  to  farming  and  farming  communities. 
Such  mutual  effort  is  needed  for  the  promotion  of 

(a)  Better  Farming.  Agriculture  is  now  becoming  a  scientific 
pursuit  instead  of  a  blind  following  of  traditional  methods. 
The  latter  policy  has  brought  thousands  of  rural  communities 
to  the  brink  of  ruin.  "  The  farmer's  indifference  to  scientific 
methods  is  his  own  worst  enemy.  So  long  as  he  does  not  work 
for  his  own  interests  it  is  in  vain  to  blame  the  cit}^  and  the  town 
for  their  monopol}^  of  public  attention." 

(b)  Better  Roads.  Roads  are  essential  in  transferring  farm 
products  to  markets.  Bad  roads,  as  most  country  roads  are, 
greatly  increase  the  cost  of  transportation  in  the  wear  and  tear 
on  horses  and  vehicles.  Portions  of  the  year  they  are  almost 
impassable. 

(c)  Better  Markets.  The  introduction  of  town  and  city  mar- 
kets by  which  farmers  and  consumers  can  be  brought  together 
has  proved  in  many  places  a  great  benefit  in  bringing  better 
prices  to  the  former  and  in  redticing  the  cost  of  living  to  the 
latter.  The  gain  from  a  universal  adoption  of  this  plan  would 
be  moral  as  well  as  financial,  since  both  classes  w^otdd  come  to 
know  each  other  better  and  with  increased  mutual  respect. 

{d)  Better  Schools.  Rural  communities  cannot  be  perma- 
nently improved  without  improving  the  schools.  Not  only 
better  buildings  are  needed,  but  better  methods,  especially  such 


198  The  Modern  Church  ^''"'" 

as  will  help  the  children  and  yonth  to  see  the  dignity  and  at- 
tractiveness of  rural  life  under  right  conditions,  and  will  train 
them  for,  rather  than  away  from,  the  farm.  Country  schools 
need  to  be  centralized  and  consolidated. 

(e)  Better  Social  Life.  In  m.ost  cases  the  drifting  of  the  young 
people  to  towns  and  cities  is  due  not  so  much  to  the  hard  work 
as  to  the  deadly  barrenness  of  country  life  as  usually  lived. 
Those  who  work  hardest  need  the  most  recreation.  Ordinarily 
the  country  fumi.shes  the  least.  Efforts  vshould  be  made  to 
build  up  the  social  life,  and  to  make  occasions  for  frequent 
meetings.  The  mere  getting  of  people  together  for  better  ac- 
quaintance has  great  valtie.  While  it  may  not  be  the  business 
of  the  churches  to  furnish  am.usement,  they  should  consider  it 
an  important  part  of  their  mission  to  promote  those  that  are 
innocent  and  wholesome. 

In  furthering  these  enterprises  the  churches  might  well  take 
a  leading  part.  They  should  make  it  their  business  to  come  to 
an  intelligent  understanding  of  the  conditions,  needs,  and  possi- 
bilities of  their  respective  fields.  Country  people  need  concerts, 
lectures,  libraries,  reading  rooms,  dramatic  entertainments, 
literary  contests,  competition  in  sports  and  games  as  much  as,  if 
not  more  than,  city  people.  Furthermore,  every  county  should 
have  a  hospital.  The  church  is  in  a  x^osition  to  inspire  action 
in  all  these  directions.  In  many  places  the  church  building  is 
the  only  one  capable  of  being  made  a  center  for  gathering  around 
itself  the  social  life  of  the  community.  The  avenue  by  which 
the  rural  churches  are  to  pass  into  a  new  and  larger  life  is  the 
reconstruction  of  the  entire  social  order  of  the  rural  commimity. 

Note  3.  What  the  Country  Churches  Need,  (a)  Resident 
Ministers.  To  say  that  five  per  cent  of  the  churches  in  the 
open  country  have  settled  pastors  might  be  an  extravagant 
assertion.  Yet  without  ministers  who  live  on  their  fields,  mingle 
daily  with  their  people,  study  their  needs  from  every  point  of 
view,  and  who  are  capable  of  tactful  leadership,  the  country 
church  is  helpless.  A  service  of  three  hours  a  month  from  one 
who  lives  in  a  town  a  dozen  miles  away  is  useless  so  far  as  solv- 
ing the  modem  iniral  problem  is  concerned.  This  supreme  need 
of  the  churches  lays  a  corresponding  duty  on  the  ministers. 
The  older  type  may  not  be  willing  to  make  the  sacrifices  in- 
volved. But  if  not,  the  churches  and  our  theological  schools 
must  see  to  it  that  young  men  are  raised  up  and  taught  to  see 


Thirty-one  ]\jg^  ]^{j^  ^^  Coufitry  Churches  199 

that  the  home  field  calls  for  sacrifices  as  heroic  as  any  foreign 
field,  and  that  as  effective  work  as  can  be  done  anywhere  for 
the  kingdom  of  God  today  is  among  the  country  churches  of 
our  own  land.  The  idea  that  our  weakest  men  are  good  enough 
for  the  coimtry  churches  must  be  banished.  They  need  men 
with  sense  to  see  that  theological  remedies  avail  nothing  for 
economic  diseases. 

(6)  Financial  Consecration  by  Church  Members.  The  task  of 
putting  new  life  into  coimtry  chiu-ches  needs  not  only  consecra- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  ministers,  but  of  the  laymen  as  well. 
Frequently  churches  able  to  support  a  pastor  engage  one  for 
**  part  time  preaching  "  because  it  calls  for  the  least  sacrifice. 
Under  such  a  system  the  members  have  not  been  trained  to 
give.  The  Old  Testament  Jew  gave  a  tenth  of  his  income  for 
rehgious  purposes.  In  Sullivan  Coimty,  Missouri,  there  are 
370  families  each  of  which  spends  annually  an  average  of  $771 
on  itself,  $13.72  on  schools,  and  $6  on  roads,  and  contributes 
$3.18,  or  about  one-half  of  one  per  cent,  to  its  church.  Such 
people  must  learn  that  the  school  and  the  church  demand  a  more 
generous  use  of  private  wealth.  The  average  farmer  is  not  to 
be  blamed  or  scolded  for  his  closeness  with  money.'  He  must 
be  led  to  see  that  the  conditions  under  which  he  has  lived  are 
passing  away,  and  that  he  must  adjust  himself  to  a  new  social 
order,  or  perish. 

Many  other  needs  press  heavily  on  the  country  churches,  but 
these  stand  at  the  head  of  the  list. 

Note  4.  What  Country  Churches  Are  Learning  through 
Social  Service.  The  suggestions  made  above  are  not  untested 
theories.  They  have  been  successfully  tried  out  in  scores  of 
instances.  The  remarkable  work  of  Jean  Frederic  Oberlin,  among 
the  poor  and  ignorant  people  of  Ban-de-la-Roche,  will  long  con- 
tinue to  be  a  lesson  and  an  inspiration  in  reviving  the  temporal, 
as  well  as  spiritual  prosperity  of  a  decadent  country  district. 
In  some  cases  a  remarkable  transformation  has  been  wrought 
in  two  or  three  years.  In  many  more  cases  the  struggle  has 
been  long  and  arduous,  exhausting  every  ounce  of  tact,  patience, 
and  grit  of  the  leader  before  the  final  victory  was  won.  But  in 
every  case  the  new  life  for  the  church  has  been'  won  through 
co-operation  in  some  form  of  social  service.  Read,  for  example, 
any  one  of  these  articles  in  the  World's  Work:  "  Ten  Years  in 
a  Country  Church,"  December,  1910;  **  How  a  Country  Church 


200  The  Modern  Church  ^"o» 

Found  Itself,"  August,  1911;  "  Rural  Churches  that  Do  Their 
Job,"  March,  1913,  and  see  how  surely  and  richly  spiritual 
results  are  reached  by  pastors  and  churches  that  seek  to  win 
the  confidence  and  affection  of  the  people  ]?y  bettering  and 
building  up  their  everyday  life.  From  the  ministers  of  country 
churches  that  have  experienced  a  blessed  release  from  chronic 
despondency  "  you  do  not  hear  sermons  upon  '  what  these 
people  ought  to  do  for  this  church  ' ;  their  emphasis  is  upon 
'  what  the  church  ought  to  do  for  these  people.'  They  are 
losing  themselves  in  service  to  their  communities,"  with  the 
invariable  result  that  these  communities  respond  to  the  leader- 
ship of  the  church  with  a  loyalty  that  extends  as  fully  to  the 
spiritual  as  to  the  secular  life. 

ADDITIONAL   READING   REFERENCES. 

{1)  In  addition  to  the  references  giyen  in  Lesson  30,  look  up  those  in 
the  preceding  note.  {2)  Religious  Education  for  June,  1910,  has  a  good 
article  on  "  Religious  Education  and  Rural  Communities  ";  the  issue  for 
December,  1910,  contains  two  suggestive  papers,  "  Educational  Service 
of  the  Village  Church,"  and  "  Education  of  Ministers  for  Country  Par- 
ishes ";  three  articles  on  "The  Church  and  Religious  Training  in  the 
Rural  Home,"  "  The  Church  and  Religious  Training  in  the  Rural  Com- 
munity," and  "  The  Rural  Church  and  Community  Welfare  "  are  found 
in  the  issue  for  October,  1911.     The  last  two  are  particularly  valuable. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  How  have  rural  churches  been  affected  by  changes  in  population? 

2.  What  are  some  of  the  social  factors  that  have  led  to  a  decline  of  the 
country  churches? 

3.  Mention  some  of  the  discouraging  conditions  that  prevail  in  country 
churches. 

4.  How  must  the  problem  of  the  country  church  be  met? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE   LESSON. 

1.  How  have  rural  communities  and  churches  been  affected  by  indi- 
vidualism? 


2.  In  opposition  to  this  individualistic  tendency,  what  is  now  the  prime 
need? 


3.  What  are  some  of  the  economic  needs  of  the  country? 


Thiriy-one  ^^^  j^if^  {.y^  Coufitry  ChuTches  201 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  educational  and  social  needs? 

5.  What  attitude  must  the  churches  assume  toward  these  needs? 

6.  Why  do  the  country  churches  need  resident  ministers? 

7.  Why  do  they  need  a  revival  in  giving? 


8.  What  has  been  the  experience  of  all   country   churches  that  have 
tried  to  reach  the  community  through  social  service? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Do  you  think  the  people  in  the  country  are  more  or  less  religious 
than  those  in  the  city? 

2.  Should  the  country  as  well  as  the  city  have  first-class  schools? 

3.  Why  is  it  necessary  to  preserve  the  social  strength  of  country  dis- 
tricts? 

4.  Should  a  country  church  seek  to  provide  a  social  life  and  recreation 
simply  for  its  own  young  people? 

5.  What  is  your  church,  if  situated  in  the  country,  doing  to  serve  the 
community  at  large? 

6.  Is  the  church  better  fitted  for  social  leadership  than  the  grange? 

QUESTION  FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

Should  pastors  of  rural  churches  receive  special  training  for  their  work? 


202  The  Modern  Church  ^''^ 

Lesson  32.    THE   GOSPEL  IN   MINING  AND   LUMBER 

CAMPS. 

Scripture  Reading:  Mining  and  Lumbering  in  Ancient  Times. 
Job  28:  1-11;  1  Kings  5:  1-18. 

Note  1.  The  Mining  Camp.  Thousands  of  men  spend 
their  Hves  in  prospecting  for  the  hidden  treasures  of  the  earth. 
Sometimes  a  rich  deposit  of  mineral  ore  is  discovered  by  sheer 
accident.  It  is  said  that  a  man  up  in  the  Lake  Superior  region 
years  ago  was  searching  for  a  lost  pig,  and  was  directed  to  it  by 
its  squealing.  The  pig  had  fallen  into  a  hole,  and  its  owner  in 
getting  it  out  scraped  awa}^  some  loose  earth  and  revealed 
what  proved  to  be  one  of  the  richest  known  deposits  of  copper 
ore,  that  of  the  Calumet  and  Hecla  mines.  Usually,  however, 
the  discovery  comes  as  a  lucky  strike  made  by  some  hardy 
prospector.  It  may  be  gold,  silver,  lead,  iron,  copper,  zinc,  or 
coal.  The  news  spreads  rapidly,  especially  in  the  case  of  gold 
or  silver,  and  attracts  adventurers  from  near  and  far.  Tents, 
shanties,  cabins,  stores,  saloons,  dance  houses,  gambling  dens, 
and  brothels  spring  up  like  magic.  Lawlessness,  drunkenness, 
profanity,  crime,  and  vice  flourish  like  vegetation  in  a  tropical 
forest.  One  frontier  missionary  tells  of  his  experiences  in  one 
of  these  camps,  where  every  Sunday  afternoon  when  he  first 
preached  there  he  always  had  a  bull  and  bear  fight  to  contend 
with  around  the  corner.  "  I  remember  one  time,"  he  says, 
**  when  the  bull  broke  loose,  and  ran  down  the  street  where  I 
was  preaching.  I  saw  at  a  glance  that  I  must  close  the  meeting, 
and  so  pronotmced  the  benediction;  when  I  opened  my  eyes,  not 
a  living  soul  was  in  sight  except  my  wife." 

To  preach  the  Gospel  in  a  mining  camp  requires  consecration, 
courage,  tact,  and  hard  work.  It  needs  a  kind  of  training  not 
usually  given  in  theological  seminaries.  The  man  with  an 
ordinary  conventional  sermon  would  get  no  hearing.  A  minis- 
terial garb  wins  no  respect.  And  yet,  rough,  profane,  and  god- 
less as  the  men  may  seem,  none  are  quicker  to  discern  and 
respect  genuine  Christian  manliness.  A  chapel  consisting  of  a 
room  over  a  saloon  with  only  a  dry  goods  box  for  a  pulpit,  but 
with  a  preacher  who  truly  loves  his  fellowmen,  has  again  and 
again  become  a  means  of  social  and  m.oral  salvation  of  the 
community,  and  the  forerunner  of  a  strong  church. 

Note  2.  The  Lumber  Industry.  To  one  unacquainted  with 
the  facts  it  may  be  a  surprise  to  learn  that  lumbering  holds  the 


Thirty-two      jj^g  Gospel  iH  Mining  and  Lumber  Camps  203 

third  place  in  the  industries  of  the  United  States.  The  number 
of  wage  earners,  according  to  official  statistics  of  1909,  numbered 
695,015,  the  value  of  the  products  amounted  to  $1,156,128,747, 
representing  about  20,000,000,000  cubic  feet  of  wood  taken 
from  our  forests. 

A  peculiar  feature  about  the  lumber  industry  is  that  it  is 
carried  on  away  from  civilization.  A  mining  camp,  if  a  vein  is 
rich  and  extensive,  soon  grows  into  a  city.  But  a  lumber  camp 
never  does.  As  soon  as  the  timber  in  its  neighborhood  has  been 
cut  down,  the  camp  is  forced  to  move  farther  into  the  virgin 
forest.  The  employment  calls  for  men  exclusively.  These  are 
divided  into  three  classes,  the  camp  men  who  cut  down  the 
timber  and  haul  it  to  the  nearest  stream,  the  rivermen  who  on 
the  spring  floods  float  it  down  to  the  sawmills,  and  the  millmen 
who  saw  it  into  lumber. 

A  "  camp  "  consists  of  several  log  houses  built  to  accommo- 
date the  superintendent,  or  boss,  the  various  gangs  employed 
to  cut  and  haul  the  logs,  and  the  teams.  The  outside  walls 
of  a  bunk  house  are  about  six  feet  high  with  a  gently  sloping 
roof.  The  cracks  betw^een  the  logs  are  *'  chinked  "  with  moss 
to  keep  out  the  cold.  The  floor  is  made  of  boards,  if  they  can 
be  had,  otherwise  of  small  tree  trunks  split  and  hewn  flat. 
Along  the  walls  inside  "  are  bunks,  one  above  another;  two 
huge  stoves  with  great  iron  cylinders,  one  at  each  end,  give 
warmth;  while  in  picturesque  confusion,  socks  and  red  macki- 
naws  and  shirts  hang  steaming  by  the  dozens.  There  is  a 
cockloft  where  the  men  write  their  letters,  and  rude  benches 
where  they  sit  and  smoke  and  tell  yams  till  bedtime."  Log 
sheds,  made  tight  and  warm  as  possible,  are  built  for  the  horses. 
These  are  known  as  "  hovels." 

Note  3.  The  Lumberjacks.  The  herding  together  of  large 
gangs  of  rough  men  away  from  home,  and  remote  from  all  the 
restraining  influences  of  civilization  almost  inevitably  tends 
to  bring  out  the  worst  elements  in  their  characters.  They  are 
not  all  dnuikards  and  blasphemers  and  gamblers,  but  when  the 
whole  current  sets  that  way,  it  is  hard  to  resist  it.  Some  do 
resist  it  because  they  are  decent  and  self-respecting  men  with 
wives  and  children  at  home  to  whom  the}'  return  when  the 
winter's  work  is  over,  bringing  their  -earnings  in  clean  hands. 
But  by  far  the  greater  nimiber,  thousands  of  them,  with  no 
sense  of  the  value  of  money,  and  with  a  hot  craving  for  pleasure 


204  The  Modern  Church  ^"^'''^ 

after  the  hard  toil  in  the  woods,  make  for  the  nearest  lumber 
town  for  a  debauch,  the  only  pleasure  known  to  them.  Here 
they  encounter  crowds  of  saloon  keepers,  gamblers,  and  caterers 
to  depraved  passions  who  lie  in  wait  to  rob  them,  and  from  whose 
clutches  the  best  of  them  escape  only  with  difficulty.  Often 
the  earnings  of  a  whole  winter  are  lost  in  a  night. 

Note  4.  The  Preacher  in  the  Lumber  Camps.  To  lift  these 
men,  often  as  big-hearted  as  they  are  brawny,  out  of  the  drunk- 
enness, brawling,  savagery,  and  abominations  of  the  camps,  and 
to  assist  in  rescuing  them  from  the  sharks  to  whom  their  lack  of 
self-control  and  passion  for  drink  make  them  an  easy  prey,  is 
the  task  of  the  missionary  who  has  the  grace  and  grit  to  work 
among  them.  The  man  who  can  help  them  is  the  one  whose 
infinite  sympathy,  untiring  self-sacrifice,  and  absolute  fearless- 
ness win  their  confidence  and  respect.  He  may  not  be  eager 
to  knock  a  man  down.  But  there  are  occasions  when  he  must 
be  as  quick  to  fight  as  to  pray.  To  snatch  an  innocent  boy  from 
the  lure  of  thieves  and  panderers  before  they  have  stripped  him 
of  every  cent  is  almost  as  perilous  as  to  snatch  a  bone  from  a 
hungry  bulldog.  For  a  preacher  to  silence  an  obstreperous 
disturber  of  an  ordinary  church  service  by  pulling  him  out  of 
the  pew  and  flinging  him  into  the  street  might  break  up  the 
meeting.  But  in  a  bunk  house,  after  a  momentary  tumult  of 
jeering  at  the  victim,  the  missionary  quite  unruffled  will  return 
to  **  the  upturned  cask  which  served  him  for  a  pulpit,  readjusting 
the  blanket  which  was  his  altar  cloth,  raising  his  dog-eared 
little  hymn  book  to  the  smoky  light  overhead,  and  begin- 
ning, feelingly:  *  Boys,  let's  sing  number  fifty-six:  Jesus,  lover 
of  my  soul,  let  me  to  thy  bosom  fly.  You  know  the  ttme,  boys, 
everybody  sing — While  the  nearer  waters  roll,  and  the  tempest 
still  is  high.  All  ready  now!'  "  Nobody  pays  much  attention 
to  a  fight  in  a  bunk  house.  The  next  morning,  as  likely  as  not, 
the  disturber  will  come  around  and  apologize  to  the  misvsionar}^ 

A  man  who,  without  losing  his  true  dignit}^,  or  compromising 
his  Christian  principles,  can  so  adjust  himself  to  the  life  of  the 
lumber  camps  as  to  win  the  love  of  the  men  and  the  respect 
even  of  those  whom  he  is  forced  to  denounce  and  oppose, 
finds  an  unbounded  field  for  service  and  can  almost  every  day 
win  a  new  star  for  his  crown.  From  the  nature  of  the  case, 
however,  his  work  must  be  with  individuals,  or  in  fighting 
wickedness   in   the   lumber  towns.     The   fact  that   the   camp 


Thiriy-iwo      j-jig  Cos  pel  ifi  Mining  and  Lumber  Camps  205 

remains  in  one  place  only  a  short  time  makes  the  establishment 
of  churches  impossible.  The  **  sky  pilot,"  as  the  men  face- 
tiously call  their  preacher,  must  content  himself  with  personal 
results,  with  saving  men  for  a  better  life  here  and  hereafter. 

In  the  lumber  towns,  even  when  they  are  transient,  the  case 
is  somewhat  different.  Here  churches  often  spring  up  and 
become  means  of  blessing  to  the  surrounding  country. 

Note  5.  Making  the  Grade.  The  Rev.  Francis  Edmund 
Higgins  is  a  Presb^^terian  who,  without  a  church,  but  acting 
under  the  Board  of  Home  Missions,  has  done  a  unique  work 
among  the  lumberjacks  in  the  remoter  Minnesota  camps.  He 
possesses  in  a  remarkable  degree  the  qualification  described 
above.  A  little  book  entitled  "  Higgins — A  Man's  Christian  " 
presents  a  series  of  thrilling  sketches  of  his  work.  Nothing 
except  actual  experience  can  give  a  more  vivid  idea  of  the  nature 
of  missionary  experiences  in  a  lumber  camp.  Higgins's  minis- 
try has  a  gentle  as  well  as  a  strenuous  side. 

"  When  Alex  McKenzie  lay  dying  in  a  hospital,  the  Pilot 
sat  with  him  as  he  sits  with  all  dying  lumberjacks.  It  was  the 
Pilot  who  told  him  that  the  end  was  near. 

"  '  Nearing  the  landing,  Pilot?' 

"  '  Almost  there,  Alex.' 

"  *  I've  a  heavy  load,  Pilot — a  heavy  load!  ' 

**  McKenzie  was  a  four-horse  teamster,  used  to  hauling  logs 
from  the  woods  to  the  landing. 

*'  '  Pilot,'  he  asked,  presently,  '  do  you  think  I  can  make  the 
grade?' 

'"With  help,  Alex.' 

"  McKenzie  said  nothing  for  a  moment.  Then  he  looked  up. 
*  You  mean,'  said  he,  *  that  I  need  another  team  of  leaders?' 

"  '  The  Great  Leader,  Alex.' 

"  *  Oh,  I  know  what  you  mean,'  said  McKenzie.  *  You  mean 
that  I  need  the  help  of  Jesus  Christ.' 

"  No  need  to  tell  what  Higgins  said  then — ^what  he  repeated 
about  repentance  and  faith  and  the  infinite  love  of  God  and  the 
power  of  Christ  for  salvation.  Alex  McKenzie  had  heard  it 
all  before — long  before,  being  Scottish  born,  and  a  Highlander — 
and  he  had  not  utterly  forgotten,  prodigal  though  he  was.  It 
was  all  recalled  to  him,  now,  by  a  man  whose  life  and  love  and 
uplifted  heart  were  well  known  to  him — his  minister. 

**  *  Pray  for  me,'  said  he,  like  a  child. 


206  The  Modern  Church  ^«^o*» 

'*  McKenzie  died  that  night.  He  had  never  said  a  word  in 
the  long  interval;  but  just  before  his  last  breath  was  drawn — 
while  the  Pilot  still  held  his  hand  and  the  Sister  of  Charity 
numbered  her  beads  near  by — he  whispered  in  the  Pilot's  ear: 

"  '  Tell  the  boys  I  made  the  grade!  '  " 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Puddefoot:  The  Minute  Man  on  the  Frontier;  see  Chapter  XX, 
"  The  Minute  Man  in  the  Mining-Camp,"  and  Chapter  XXX,  "  Christian 
Work  in  the  Lumber  Town."  {2)  Duncan:  Higgins — A  Man's  Christian 
(Harper  &  Brothers,  50  cents)  is  the  best  help  on  this  lesson. 

REVIEW   QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  conspicuous  needs  in  rural  communities? 
•  2.  How  can  rural  churches  assist  in  meeting  those  needs? 

3.  What  do  the  country  churches  need  in  order  to  experience  a  new  life? 

4.  What  are  country  churches  learning  through  social  service? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  is  the  general  character  of  a  new  mining  camp? 


2.  What  kind  of  missionaries  are  needed  in  mining  camps? 


3.  Describe  the  extent  of  the  lumber  industry  in  the  United  States. 


4.  In  what  important  respect  does  a  lumber  camp  differ  from  a  mining 
camp? 


5.  Describe  briefly  a  lumber  camp. 


6.  What  is  the  chief  demoralizing  element  in  the    life  of  the  lumber 
camps? 


Thirty-two      jj^^  Gospel  ifi  Mining  and  Ltmiher  Camps  207 

7.  What  moral  perils  beset  lumbermen  outside  the  camps? 


8.  Why  are  qualifications  for  successful  work  among  lumbermen  ex- 
ceedingly rare? 


9.  Wherein  does  a  successful  worker  among  lumbermen  find  his  reward? 


10.  Why  is  he  unable  to  establish  permanent  churches? 


SUBJECTS  FOR   SPECIAL   STUDY  AND    NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  The  extent  of  the  mining  industry  in  the  United  States. 

2.  Why  the  mining  industry  attracts  many  adventurers. 

3.  What  are  the  chief  surviving  timber  regions  of  the  United  States? 

4.  To  what  extent  is  missionary  work  carried  on  in  lumber  camps  at 
the  present  time? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  What  are  the  prospects  of  missionary  work  being  long  needed  in 
lumber  camps  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  present  rate  of  cutting  is  three 
times  the  annual  growth  of  forests  in  the  United  States? 

2.  Does  the  fact  that  we  use  lumber  put  us  under  any  obligation  to  the 
lumberjacks? 

3.  Did  the  missionary  who  ejected  the  disturber  show  a  Christian  spirit? 


208  The  Modern  Church  ^«^°« 

Part     III.      THE      CHURCH     WORKING 

THROUGH   VARIOUS   ORGANS  AND' 

AGENCIES. 

Lesson  33.     HOW  A  MODERN   MISSIONARY   SOCIETY 
IS  ADMINISTERED. 

Scripture  Reading:  Administering  Church  Funds.     Acts  5:  1-6. 

Note  1.    The  Organization  of  Mission  Societies.    The  final 

authority  behind  every  missionary  society  is  the  denomination 
by  which  it  is  organized.  Each  society  holds  an  annual  or 
triennial  meeting  of  delegates  elected  either  directly  by  the 
churches,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Baptists,  but  more  commonly  by 
some  intermediate  body.  This  large  meeting  is  known  among 
the  Baptists  of  the  Northern  States  as  the  Northern  Baptist 
Convention  of  which  the  American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission 
Society  is  a  co-operating  organization;  among  Congregational- 
ists,  as  the  meeting  of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions;  among  Episcopalians,  as  the  General 
Convention;  among  Methodists,  as  the  General  Conference; 
and  among  the  Presbyterians,  as  the  General  Assembly. 

Each  of  these  denominational  meetings  elects  the  officers  of 
its  respective  missionary  society,  and  a  board  of  managers, 
ranging  in  nimiber  from  twenty-six  to  ninety  or  more.  Several 
of  the  societies  have  also  a  still  larger  body  known  as  a  general 
committee  or  advisory  council,  with  whom  the  board  may 
consult  respecting  important  matters.  Upon  the  board,  which 
in  some  cases  includes  the  officers  of  the  society,  rests  the  active 
administration  of  the  society's  affairs.  In  a  general  way  the 
conference,  convention,  or  assembly  may  shape  the  policy  of 
the  missionary  society,  and  determine  what  fields  shall  be 
entered,  but  the  important  matter  of  raising  funds  on  the  home 
field,  of  bu^dng,  holding,  mortgaging  or  selling  real  estate,  of 
administering  trust  funds,  and  of  apportioning  money  to  the 
several  missions  is  relegated  to  its  board  of  managers. 

When  the  supervision  of  this  work  is  committed  more  or  less 
to  a  single  official,  he  is  usually  called  the  corresponding  secre- 
tary. He  is  the  execvitive  officer  of  the  board,  and  holds  by 
far  the  most  responsible  position  in  the  society.  He  conducts 
the  correspondence  of  the  board  with  its  missions,  is  expected 
to  keep  a  vigilant  eye  not  only  on  each  particular  station,  but 
upon  the  entire  field,  and  to  inform  the  board  respecting  all 


Thirty-three  j\  Modem  Missionary  Society  209 

matters  of  missionary  interest.  This  officer  is  sometimes 
elected  by  the  same  general  body  that  elects  the  board,  but 
som.etimes  he  is  appointed  by  the  board  itself.  In  the  leading 
mission  societies,  the  duties  devolving  on  the  corresponding 
secretary  have  now  become  so  executive  as  to  require  their 
division  into  a  nimiber  of  departments,  each  of  which  is  under 
the  oversight  of  a  secretary  with  one  or  more  assistants.  .  Next 
to  the  corresponding  secretary,  the  treasurer  is  the  most 
important  officer  of  a  missionary  society.  The  oversight  of  the 
finances  is  a  distinct  department,  ranking  with  the  home  base 
and  the  foreign  base.  The  treasurer,  therefore,  reports  to  the 
society,  though  of  course  he  is  constantly  in  close  relations  with 
the  board,  of  which  he  is  usually  an  ex  officio  member. 

Note  2.  Administration  on  the  Home  Field.  The  first  im- 
perative and  most  difficult  task  that  confronts  a  missionary 
society  is  the  raising  of  funds  w^th  which  to  carry  on  the  work. 
Every  society  could  expand  its  work  tenfold  if  it  had  the  means 
in  hand.  Sometimes  a  wave  of  enthusiasm  will  sweep  over  a 
convention,  and  the  board  be  instructed  to  launch  out  into 
larger  expenditures.  Under  the  spell  of  an  eloquent  and  pa- 
thetic appeal  it  seems  easy  indeed  to  have  one's  home  church 
increase  the  annual  contribution  at  least  ten  per  cent.  But 
the  people  who  have  not  been  to  the  convention  have  not  been 
stirred  and  the  promised  addition  fails  to  materialize.  If  the 
board  responds  to  such  counsel,  it  is  likely  to  be  left  with  a 
heavy  deficit.  Even  when  a  budget  no  larger  than  that  of  the 
preceding  year  is  made,  unforseen  economic  conditions  may 
reduce  the  society's  income  by  a  large  simi.  One  of  the  gravest 
problems  faced  by  missionar^^  societies  in  the  past  has  been  the 
imcertain  and  variable  receipts  with  w^hich  to  meet  fixed  or 
larger  expenditures,  and  the  possibility  of  being  forced  to  make 
heart-rending  retrenchments. 

The  sources  on  which  a  missionary  society  depends  for  its 
income  are  the  contributions  from  the  churches  and  Sunday 
schools;  gifts  from  individuals,  legacies,  and  income  from  trust 
funds;  and  last,  but  by  no  means  least,  the  fimds  raised  by  vari- 
ous auxiliary  societies,  especially  those  carried  on  by  the  women 
and  the  yoimg  people.  The  amounts  contributed  by  the 
women's  societies  alone  range  from  about  one-fifth  to  one-half 
of  the  entire  annual  receipts.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  really 
contribute  much  more,  since  they  render  important  aid  in  rais- 


210  The  Modern  Church  ^'''''" 

ing  the  contributions  of  the  several  chtirches,  all  of  which  go 
directly  into  the  treasuries  of  the  societies. 

Until  within  a  few  years  the  churches  were  left  to  give  as 
much  or  as  little  as  they  pleased,  except  so  far  as  they  were 
stimulated  by  distressing  appeals  from  the  headquarters  of  the 
society.  Most  of  the  churches  took  up  an  annual  collection. 
If  it  happened  to  be  a  rainy  Sunday  the  collection  might  be 
only  a  small  fraction  of  the  ordinary  amount.  To  bring  about  a 
better  and  surer  response,  all  the  leading  denominations  have 
now  adopted  the  apportionment  syvStem  (Lesson  22,  Note  5), 
which  promises  to  place  the  financial  operations  of  the  societies 
on  a  far  firmer  basis  than  before. 

Note  3.  Administering  the  Foreign  Field.  A  missionary 
society  finds  it  almost  as  hard  to  decide  where  it  can  most 
advantageously  expend  its  f-ands,  as  how  to  raise  them  on  the 
home  field.  The  open  doors  are  so  many,  the  cries  for  help  are 
so  loud  and  insistent,  that  the  means  at  hand,  great  as  they  may 
seem  in  themselves,  appear  in  comparison  pitifully  small. 
Every  mission  board  would  gladly,  if  it  were  possible,  make 
each  dollar  in  its  treasury  do  the  work  of  ten.  In  determining 
where  the  need  is  greatest,  the  question  arises,  who  are  best 
able  to  decide,  the  board  in  America  or  the  missionaries  on  the 
field?  The  answer  to  this  question  gives  rise  to  two  types  of 
administration . 

The  first  is  represented  by  the  American  Baptist  Foreign 
Mission  Society  in  which  the  board  of  managers  fixes  the  salary 
of  every  missionary,  and  the  amounts  to  be  expended  for 
specific  purposes  at  each  station.  This  is  not  done,  however, 
without  the  fullest  information  obtainable  from  the  missionaries 
themselves.  On  each  field  they  are  organized  into  a  volimtary 
conference  which  meets  once  a  year  to  consider  matters  of  com- 
mon interest  and  to  advise  the  board  of  managers  respecting 
actual  needs.  When  the  conference  is  not  in  session,  a  reference 
committee  appointed  by  the  conference  attends  to  this  work. 
On  each  field  one  of  the  missionaries  is  appointed  by  the  board 
to  act  as  treasurer.  The  higher  educational  institutions  and 
mission  presses  are  cared  for  by  the  trustees.  As  an  example 
of  this  type  of  administration  take  the  Rangoon  station  of 
the  Burma  Mission.  It  contains  thirty  missionaries,  and  the 
Society  treasurer's  report  enimierates  seventy-eight  grants, 
running  from   $16.72   to   $5000,    and  aggregating    $58,429.75. 


Thirty-three  ^  Modem  Missionary  Society  211 

A  second  type  at  the  other  extreme  is  presented  by  the 
American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions.  Of 
its  twenty  missions,  that  at  Foochow  approaches  nearest  to 
the  expenses  of  the  Rangoon  Mission,  being  ^56,036. 92.  It 
has  forty  missionaries.  Yet  of  the  five  specific  appropriations 
three  are  for  expenses  incurred  in  this  country,  such  as  grants 
for  missionaries  and  their  families  at  home  on  furlough,  |4, 173.60 ; 
for  missionaries'  children  in  this  cotmtry,  $1,245.12;  and  for 
procuring  and  forwarding  supplies.  $1,446.43.  The  remaining 
two  appropriations,  aggregating  $52,171.87,  correspond  to  the 
seventy-eight  grants  enumerated  by  the  treasurer  of  the 
Baptist  Board.  This  lump  sum  seems  to  be  granted  by  the 
Board,  as  in  every  other  case,  after  careful  consideration  of 
detailed  estimates  for  the  mission.  But  being  so  granted,  the 
responsibility  for  its  proper  use  rests  on  the  missionaries  them- 
selves. 

It  should  be  added  that  the  policy  of  the  Baptist  Society  as 
stated  above  is  not  rigidly  foUowed  in  every  case.  In  recent 
years  appropriations  have  been  made  in  a  lump  sum  to  certain 
missions,  but  only  when  the  missionaries  themselves  have 
expressed  a  preference  for  this  form  of  administration. 

Note  4.     Relative    Cost    of    Administration.     A    man    was 

asked  for  a  contribution  to  foreign  missions.  He  handed  over 
a  dollar,  and  then  another  with  the  remark,  "  This  is  to  pay 
for  carrying  the  other  dollar  to  the  heathen."  This  represents 
a  common  but  sttipid  en-or  respecting  the  administration  of  a 
missionaiy  society.  In  the  first  place,  no  society  sends  money 
to  the  heathen;  it  sends  the  gospel.  In  the  second  place,  to 
do  business  costs  money.  A  missionary  society  is  no  exception. 
But  in  comparison  with  most  business  houses  where  the  cost 
is  from  twenty-five  per  cent  upward,  the  cost  of  conducting  the 
business  side  of  a  missionary  business  is  astonishingly  small. 

The  operating  expenses  of  the  five  leading  Foreign  Mission 
Societies  studied  in  the  preceding  notes  are  as  follows:  Pres- 
b3rterian,  6.69  per  cent  of  the  total  receipts;  Methodist,  8.5 
per  cent  nearly;  Congregational,  8.8  per  cent;  Episcopal, 
10.2  per  cent;  Baptist,  10.7  per  cent.  These  figures,  however, 
are  quite  misleading  since  they  are  not  based  on  -uniform 
schedules.  Compare,  for  exam.ple,  the  two  societies  that 
show  the  lowest  and  the  highest  of  these  percentages.  The 
Presbyterian  Society  ow^ns  its  building  and  pays  no  rent.     The 


212  The  Modern  Church  ^«^^°» 

Baptist  Society,  on  the  contrary,  includes  in  its  cost  of  admin- 
istration rent  and  janitor  service  amounting  to  $8,563.  Fur- 
thermore, when  a  Board  turns  over  to  a  mission  a  gross  simi, 
the  cost  of  administering  it  is  transferred  from  the  home  base 
to  the  foreign  base,  and  does  not,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Baptist 
Society,  appear  in  the  home  cost  of  administration.  Another 
and  important  item  in  favor  of  the  Presbyterian  Societ^^  appears 
in  the  fact  that,  while  it  pays  larger  salaries  to  a  larger  number 
of  officers,  these  salaries  make  no  draft  on  the  general  treasury, 
since  they  are  met  by  private  generosity.  If  the  societies 
could  agree  on  a  uniform  schedule  the  "  operating  cost  "  would 
probably  not  vary  greatly. 

Of  two  things  the  churches  may  be  assured :  first,  that  their 
missionary  funds  are  administered  with  the  most  scrupulous 
economy  consistent  with  efficiency;  any  statements  to  the 
contrary  may  be  dismissed  as  due  to  ignorance,  stupidity,  or 
malice.  Secondly,  that  the  stupendous  enterprise  to  the  support 
of  which  these  funds  are  dedicated  is  moving  on,  in  spite  of  the 
inadequacy  and  imperfection  of  human  means,  with  gigantic 
strides  that  would  have  seemed  unbelievable  a  few  years  ago. 
In  answer  to  the  prayers  of  the  church  God  is  revealing  His 
power  in  wondrous  ways. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

For  further  information  respecting  the  administration  of  missionary- 
societies  study  the  annual  reports  of  the  leading  societies. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  conditions  under  which  the  gospel  is  preached 
in  mining  camps? 

2.  What  are  the  prominent  traits  of  the  lumberjacks? 

3.  What  qualifications  are  needed  for  preaching  to  these  men? 

4.  What  results  may  be  expected  from  preaching  in  lumber  camps? 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  From  whom  does  a  missionary  society  derive  its  authority? 


2.  Describe  the  constitution  of  a  board  of  managers. 


Thirty-three  ^  Modem  Missionary  Society  213 

3    What  are  the  duties  of  a  corresponding  secretary? 


4.  Why  has  the  providing  of  funds  with  which  to  carry  on  the  work  of 
a  society  been  one  of  its  heaviest  burdens? 


5.  What  are  the  sources  on  which  a  missionary  society  depends  for  its 
funds? 


6.  How  is  the  administration  of  the  home  base  being  improved? 


7.  What  type  of  administration  for  the  foreign  base  is  represented  by 
the  Baptist  Society? 


8.  What  type  is  represented  by  the  Congregational  Board! 


9.  Why  does  the  apparent  cost  of  administration  in  the  leading  societies 
vary  greatly? 


10.  How  does  the  operating  cost  of  a  missionary  society  compare  with 
that  of  most  other  business  enterprises? 


SUBJECTS   FOR   SPECIAL   STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Where  are  the  headquarters  of  yomt  Foreign  Mission  Society? 

2.  How  is  its  board  of  managers  chosen? 

3.  How  manysecretarics  and  assistant  secretaries  does  it  employ? 


214  The  Modern  Church  '^^"o" 

4.  What  were  the  total  receipts  as  given  in  the  last  report? 

5.  How  much  was  sent  direct  to  the  foreign  base? 

6.  What  was  the  cost  of  administration? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

1.  Which  is  the  better  of  the  two  types  of  administration  described  in 
Note  3? 

2.  How  would  you  answer  one  who  objects  to  supporting  foreign  mis- 
sions on  the  ground  that  "  very  little  of  the  money  ever  gets  to  the 
heathen  "  ? 


Lesson  34.    HOW  CHURCHES  ADVANCE  WITH  THE 
FRONTIER. 

Scripture  Reading:  Beginning  from  Jerusalem.     Lu.  24:  44-53. 

Note  1.    Religious  Character  of  the  Early  American  Settlers. 

After  the  discovery  of  America  by  Columbus  three  distinctive 
lines  of  invasion  seemed  destined  to  determine  the  character 
and  institutions  of  the  Western  Continent.  By  right  of  dis- 
covery and  conquest  the  working  out  of  this  destiny  belonged 
to  Spain.  She  entered  by  the  southern  gateway  of  Florida 
and  the  parts  along  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Her  missionaries 
overran  in  a  short  time  the  territory  now  embraced  in  the 
States  of  Florida,  Alabama,  Texas,  New  Mexico,  Arizona  and 
California.  Their  Indian  converts  numbered  a  hundred 
thousand.  North  America  was  being  handed  over  to  Spain 
to  exploit  for  material  wealth  and  political  glory,  and  to  the 
Roman  Catholic  church  for  her  own  type  of  propagandism. 

By  a  series  of  startling  political  movements  this  stupendous 
scheme  collapsed,  and  the  destiny  of  America  passed  into  the 
hands  of  the  French,  who  entered  by  the  northern  gateway  of 
the  St.  Lawrence.  Their  motives  were  the  same,  but  their 
methods  were  gentle  and  friendly  as  compared  with  those  of 
the  Spaniards.  By  making  friends  of  the  Indians,  instead  of 
oppressing  them,  they  swiftly  pushed  their  control  over  the 
whole  of  Eastern  and  Central  Canada,  the  whole  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi valley,  and  large  parts  of  Vermont,  New  York,  Texas 
and  Mexico: 

In  the  meantime  a  third  invasion  was  taking  place  along  the 
central  Atlantic  coast.  The  impelling  motive  of  the  Plymouth 
Pilgrims  was  neither  greed  of  gold  nor  empire  nor  church 


Thirty-Jour       //^^  CkuYches  Advauce  with  the  Frontier  215 

control,  but  freedom  to  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates 
of  the  individual  conscience.  Wolfe's  victory  over  Montcalm 
at  Quebec  in  1759  ended  one  empire  and  created  another;  it 
crushed  the  hope  of  Roman  Catholic  supremacy  in  North 
America  and  paved  the  way  for  Protestantism.  On  the 
foundations  laid  by  the  English  their  descendants  have  built 
up  our  present  Republican  and  Protestant  institutions.  With 
the  advance  of  population  from  the  Atlantic  seaboard  to  the 
Pacific,  the  evangelization  of  the  settlers  has  gone  hand  in 
hand. 

Note  2.  The  Beginning  of  Home  Missions.  The  growth 
toward  the  West  and  Northwest  of  settlements  destitute  of 
the  gospel  led,  as  early  as  1774,  to  an  effort  to  send  them  preachers. 
But  this  ceased  with  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. After  independence  had  been  gained  the  call  for  preachers 
became  more  insistent,  and  sporadic  attemps  to  meet  it  were 
made  by  the  churches.  The  first  organized  effort  was  made 
in  1798  when  the  Missionary  Society  of  Connecticut  was  formed 
"  to  Christianize  the  heathen  of  North  America,  and  to  support 
and  promote  Christian  knowledge  in  the  new  settlements 
within  the  United  States."  A  year  later  the  Massachusetts 
Society  was  formed  for  a  similar  purpose.  Not  one  of  the 
numerous  missionaries  sent  out  by  these  societies  worked  for 
the  white  population  within  the  limits  of  the  older  States.  A 
few  were  appointed  to  preach  to  the  remaining  Indians.  All 
the  rest  followed  the  pioneers  into  the  sparsely  settled  regions  of 
New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  New  York,  and  the  still  remoter 
W^est,  preaching  wherever  they  found  hearers,  and  -founding 
churches  wherever  a  handful  of  Christians  could  be  assembled. 

In  1802  the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly,  which  already 
manifested  an  interest  in  home  missions,  took  the  step  toward 
organized  work  by  appointing  a  committee  of  seven  "  to  collect 
information  relative  to  missions  and  missionaries,  designate 
the  places  where  missionaries  should  be  employed,  to  nominate 
missionaries  to  the  Assembly,  and  generally  to  transact  under 
the  direction  of  the  Assembly  the  missionary  business."  The 
constant  growth  of  the  work  forced  the  Assembly  in  1816  to 
transform  this  committee  into  a  Board  of  Missions,  "  with 
full  power  to  transact  all  the  business  of  the  missionary  cause, 
only  requiring  the  Board  to  report  annually  to  the  Assembly." 

The  same  year,  1802,  marked  the  organization  by  the  Baptists 


216 


The  Modern  Church 


Lesson 


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Thirty-four       }Jq^  CJiUTches  Advance  with  the  Frontier  217 

of  "  The  Massachusetts  Domestic  Missionary  Society."  In 
like  manner  other  denominations,  one  after  another,  organized 
for  work  on  the  home  field,  and  endeavored  as  far  as  their 
means  permitted  to  push  the  organization  of  denominational 
churches  on  the  rapidly  extending  frontier.  Since  then  the 
history  of  each  denomination  has  been  largely  a  history  of  its 
home  mission  work. 

Note  3.  The  Advancing  Frontier.  The  work  of  the  home 
mission  societies  moved  westward  as  rapidly  as  the  settlements 
pushed  ahead  into  the  wilderness.  The  planting  of  Evangelical 
churches  was  greatly  facilitated  by  the  character  of  the 
early  settlers.  Especially  was  this  true  of  the  Northwest 
Territory,  which  was  taken  under  the  direct  control  of  the 
National  Government  in  1787.  This  territory,  which  has 
well  been  called  the  "  Keystone  of  the  American  Common- 
wealth," has  not  only  by  its  wealth,  manufactures,  and  com- 
merce, but  above  aU  by  its  men  and  women,  exerted  a  powerful, 
if  not  controlling,  influence  on  our  national  destiny.  The 
rapid  settlement  of  this  territory  gave  a  new  birth  to  home 
missions.  It  enabled  the  churches  to  realize  as  never  before 
the  meaning  and  magnitude  of  the  task  that  confronted  them. 

Happily,  the  progress  of  home  missions  was  not  arrested 
when  the  missionaries  reached  the  Mississippi  River.  Study 
the  map  of  the  Territorial  Expansion  of  the  United  States, 
and  note  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  two-thirds 
of  their  present  area  were  under  foreign  control.  Step  by 
step,  however,  this  control  was  lost.  First,  Louisiana  was 
purchased  from  France  in  1803;  this  included  an  area  large 
enough  for  a  dozen  imperial  states.  Secondly,  the  Oregon 
region  was  acquired  by  exploration  and  actual  settlement  in 
1811;  Texas,  with  parts  of  New  Mexico,  Oklahoma,  Colorado, 
and  Wyoming  were  annexed  in  1845  as  a  result  of  the  war  with 
Mexico;  three  years  later  Mexico  ceded  to  the  United  States 
all  the  rest  of  the  country  stretching  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Gadsden  Purchase  which  was  acquired  in 
1853.  Each  of  these  acquisitions  meant  a  new  frontier,  and 
paved  the  way  for  new  missions  and  new  churches. 

To  keep  pace  with  this  march  of  population  taxed  the  strength 
of  the  Eastern  churches  to  the  utmost,  but  the  reward  has  been 
exceeding  great.  Thousands  of  little  frontier  churches,  aided 
by  the  mission  societies,  are  now  towers  of  strength  in  great 


218  The  Modern  Church  ^^«o» 

cities,  sending  back  into  the  mission  treasuries  a  hundred- 
fold the  aid  they  received.  The  heroic  home  missionaries 
not  only  established  churches,  but  in  so  doing  planted  the 
Christian  civilization  that  is  the  foundation  of  our  national 
strength  and  prosperity. 

Note  4.  The  Methods  Employed.  The  frontier  towns  were 
never  modeled  after  the  pattern  of  a  law-abiding,  God-fearing 
New  England  village.  The  men  who  pushed  into  the  wilder- 
ness were  bold,  rough,  and  barbarous.  They  were  a  law  unto 
themselves,  and.  this  law  was  promptly  enforced  by  pistol 
or  rifle.  The  towns  quickly  filled  up  with  adventurers  and 
human  driftwood.  Saloons  and  dance  halls  flourished  on 
ever}^  side.  Very  often  a  saloon  was  the  only  place  open  to  the 
missionary.  The  story  is  told  of  one  saloon  keeper  who, 
having  offered  his  premises  to  a  preacher,  stretched  a  large 
piece  of  cotton  across  his  bar  with  this  notice :  **  Divine  service  in 
this  place  from  ten  a.m.  to  twelve  tomorrow.  No  drinks  served 
during  the  service."  At  the  conclusion  the  host  began  taking 
up  a  collection,  having  first  seized  his  revolver  with  an  intima- 
tion that  no  small  coins  would  be  acceptable.  In  the  collection 
were  poker  chips  redeemable  at  the  bar  in  gold. 

Gradually  the  frontier  towns  settled  down  into  orderly 
communities.  With  the  help  of  the  home  mission  societies 
small  churches  were  built.  Pastors,  supported  in  part  by  the 
societies,  were  called  to  minister  to  them,  and  to  work  in  the  out- 
lying districts.  In  thinly  settled  regions  colporteurs  traveled 
on  horseback  or  with  a  wagon,  distributing  or  selling  religious 
literature  and  holding  meetings  in  schoolhouses,  bams,  or  any 
places  available.  Where  a  church  could  not  be  established 
at  once  a  Sunday  school  was  gathered  which  commonly  grew 
into  a  church. 

Along  the  railway  lines  chapel  cars  are  now  very  helpful 
in  reaching  the  railroad  men  and  the  people  in  the  small  towns 
and  villages  along  the  road. 

Extraordinary  as  the  progress  has  been  in  populating  the 
vast  region  indefinitely  known  as  "  the  West,"  there  still 
remain  innumerable  places  where  primitive  conditions  prevail, 
and  where  missionaries  are  exposed  to  all  the  hardships  and 
perils  of  frontier  life.  It  does  not  follow,  however,  because 
such  work  is  diminishing,  that  the  thirty  or  more  home  mission 
societies  in  the  country  see  an  approaching  end  to  their  work. 


Thirty-four        }{q^  ChuTckes  Advaucc  with  the  Frontier  219 

On  the  contrary,  it  is  expanding  rapidly  from  year  to  year. 
Aside  from  the  work  done  systematically  and  successfully  among 
the  native  Indians,  the  emancipation  proclamation  and  the 
close  of  the  Ciial  War  placed  on  these  societies  the  tremendous 
task  of  pro\iding  for  the  mental,  moral,  and  spiritual  uplifting 
of  the  millions  of  negroes  in  the  Southern  States.  Immense 
simis  have  been  expended  in  pro\'iding  for  their  education, 
and  in  fitting  them  for  industrial  efficiency. 

With  the  incoming  tide  of  foreign  immigration  the  cr>4ng 
need  for  home  missions  has  shifted  from  the  West  to  the  East. 
The  older  States  that  fifty  years  ago  were  depended  on  to 
furnish  the  generous  support  to  home  missions  have  now  them- 
selves become  mission  fields  that  must  be  cultivated  with  all 
the  resources  at  the  disposal  of  the  churches  if  our  American 
institutions  and  ideals  are  to  survive.  The  numerous  foreign 
colonies  that  are  crowding  into  our  cities  and  manufacturing 
centers  have  opened  up  a  new  frontier  into  which  the  churches 
must  carry  the  gospel  with  as  much  enthusiasm,  energy,  and 
self-sacrifice  as  were  required  in  the  expanding  West. 

ADDITIONAL   READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Clark:  Leavening  the  Nation.  (2)  Strong:  Ozir  Cotmtry.  (5)  Mor- 
ris: At  Our  Own  Doors.  (4)  Puddefoot:  Minute  Man  on  the  Frontier, 
(o)  Annual  Reports  of  the  Denominational  Home  Mission  Societies.  (6) 
Almost  every  Home  Mission  Society  has  published  a  more  or  less  full 
history  of  its  own  work,  and  issues  one  or  more  periodicals  from  which  a 
wealth  of  illustrative  matter  can  be  gleaned. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  To  whom  is  the  administration  of  a  mission  society  usually  com- 
mitted? 

2.  How  are  the  funds  for  carrying  on  the  work  provided? 

3.  What  two  types  for  administering  the  funds  for  the  foreign  field  have 
been  adopted? 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  figures  given  for  the  operating  cost? 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Why  did  the  Spaniards  and  the  French  fail  to  hold  their  vast  American 
colonies? 


2.  What  motives  ruled  the  colonists  from  Northern  Europe? 

3.  Describe  the  formation  of  the  first  Home  Mission  Society. 


220  The  Modern  Church  ^^"^'^ 

4.  What  other  societies  followed? 


5.  How  did  the  opening  of  the  Northwest  Territory  affect  the  advance 
of  missions? 


6.  How  have  the  churches  established  on  the  frontier  affected  the  national 
welfare? 


7.  Describe  some  of  the  difficulties  encountered  by  the  missionaries  on 
the  frontier. 


8.  What  was  the  work  of  a  colporteur? 


9.  What  responsibility  was  placed  on  the  Home  Mission  Societies  by 
the  Civil  War? 


10.  What  has  shifted  the  frontier  of  missions  to  the  Eastern  States? 


SUBJECTS  FOR   SPECIAL   STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK   WORK. 

1.  What  is  your  church  doing  in  assisting  to  plant  churches  on  the 
frontier? 

2.  Have  you  a  Home  Mission  organization  in  your  church? 

•  3.  How  did  the  opening  up  of  the  Northwest  Territory  promote  the  ad- 
vance of  American  political  and  religious  ideals?  See  Clarke:  Leavening 
the  Nation,  pp.  47-86. 

QUESTIONS   FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

1.  How  does  the  history  of  the  Spaniards,  the  French  and  the  English 
in  North  America  indicate  a  providential  guidance? 

2.  Is  it  worth  the  while  of  a  strong  and  promising  young  man  to  go  to 
some  "  jumping-off  place  "  to  start  a  church  among  a  handful  of  rough 
frontiersmen? 


Thirty-Ave  ChuYck   Sckools  "  221 

Lesson  35.     CHURCH  SCHOOLS. 

Scripture  Reading:  Importance  of  Religious  Instruction. 
Deut.  11:18-32. 

Note  1.  What  We  Mean  by  Church  Schools.  Until  very 
recently  the  term  *'  church  schools  "  had  a  single  weh  under- 
stood meaning,  namely,  academies  and  colleges  founded  by 
religious  denominations  and  maintained  in  close  relation  with 
them.  The  term  included  also  institutions  that  were  not 
strictly  sectarian,  but  in  which  the  atmosphere  was  as  distinctly 
reHgious  as  in  those  that  were  imder  denominational  control. 
Within  a  short  time  the  term  has  been  appropriated  as  a 
designation  for  the  unified  educational  activities  of  a  single 
church.  When  the  Smiday  school,  the  young  people's  societies, 
the  various  missionary  and  benevolent  organizations,  the  men's 
clubs,  the  boys'  chibs,  and  the  girls'  clubs  are  co-ordinated, 
and  made  component  parts  of  a  single  organization  imder  the 
control  of  a  Director  of  ReHgious  Education  and  a  Board 
chosen  by  the  church,  this  organization  has  come  to  be  called 
the  Church  School.  But  when  we  remember  that  in  this  third 
part  of  our  course  we  are  studying  "  The  Chtirch  Working 
through  Various  Organs  and  Agencies  "  outside  of  the  local 
churches,  it  is  evident  that  the  term  is  here  used  in  its  older 
and  larger,  rather  than  in  the  new  and  restricted,  sense. 

Note  2.  Religious  Education  in  the  Earlier  American 
Colleges.  The  early  settlers  in  the  American  colonies  were 
for  the  most  part  of  a  deeply  religious  character.  NattiraUy 
education  partook  of  the  same.  So  greatly  were  they  impressed 
by  the  importance  of  religious  training  that  school  books,  from 
the  primer  up,  were  saturated  with  religious  instruction. 
The  most  important  man  in  the  community  was  the  parish 
parson.  To  raise  up  an  educated  ministry  for  the  churches 
became  a  matter  of  primary  concern.  For  this  specific  purpose 
Harvard  coUege  was  foimded  in  1636.  The  same  is  true  of  Yale, 
Brown,  Princeton,  Columbia,  and  in  fact  of  nearly  all  the 
higher  institutions  of  learning  founded  before  the  middle  of 
the  nineteenth  century. 

The  same  care  for  religious  education  was  sho^\^l  by  the 
early  home  missionaries.  One  of  the  first  things  to  receive  at- 
tention after  the  establishment  of  churches  on  the  frontier 
was  the  foimding  of  Christian  academies  and  colleges.  Each 
denomination  felt  that  its  welfare  was  boimd  up  with  the 


222  The  Modern  Church  ^«"o« 

existence  in  each  new  state  or  territory  of  one  or  more  church 
schools  under  its  own  control.  The  president  almost  invariably, 
and  the  professors  largely,  were  ministers  who  regarded  them- 
selves as  charged  with  the  religious  as  well  as  intellectual 
welfare  of  the  students.  Chapel  exercises  were  held  at  least 
once,  sometimes  twice,  a  day,  and  attendance  was  compulsory. 
Bible  history,  the  Greek  New  Testament,  and  Christian  doctrine 
formed  parts  of  the  regular  curriculum,  and  seniors  seldom 
escaped  Paley's  Evidences  of  Christianity  and  Btitler's  Analogy. 

While  the  colleges  were  profoundly  religious,  they  were 
seldom  sectarian  in  spirit  even  when  under  sectarian  control. 
They  had  already  learned  to  distinguish  between  denomina- 
tional peculiarities  and  the  vital  elements  of  Christianity. 
While  the  cultivation  of  Christian  character  was  encouraged 
by  personal  counsel,  Bible  study,  attendance  on  public  worship, 
and  revivals,  there  were  few  attemps  at  proselyting.  On  the 
other  hand,  those  who  took  a  decided  stand  for  Christian 
Hving  seldom  failed  to  have  their  attention  directed  to  the 
ministry  as  a  worthy  and  noble  vocation. 

Note  3.  The  Growth  of  Denominational  Colleges.  Accord- 
ing to  a  statement  in  Religions  Education  for  October,  1912, 
there  were  in  this  country  in  1910,  602  colleges  and  imiversities, 
of  which  374  reported  as  denominational,  90  as  state,  city,  or 
national,  and  138  as  independent.  Of  the  last  class  at  least 
56  are  by  origin  and  history  afhliated  with  some  Christian 
body.  Out  of  the  entire  602  colleges  and  universities  430 
may  therefore  be  designated  as  church  schools.  These  430 
institutions  reported  in  1910  an  aggregate  of  property  and 
endowments  amounting  to  .1^;258,487,260.  Of  the  301,818 
students  connected  with  the  602  colleges  and  universities  162,- 
062  were  enrolled  in  the  church  schools.  That  the  proportion 
is  so  small  is  due  to  the  rapid  growth  of  the  new  state  universi- 
ties whose  enrollment  increased  from  6,700  in  1870  to  101,285 
in  1910. 

These  figures  show  the  importance  attached  by  the  churches 
to  an  education  that  is  religious  as  well  as  intellectual  and 
physical.  Many  of  these  denominational  colleges  are  small, 
enrolling  less  than  200  students,  and  struggling  to  do  sincere 
work  with  meagre  endo-wments  and  inadequate  equipment. 
But  taken  aU  in  aU  the  influence  they  have  exerted  upon  our 
national  Hfe  has  been  enormous.    It  is  estimated  that  ninety 


'^hirty.five  Church  Sckools  ^23 

per  cent  of  the  ministers,  missionaries,  and  professional  men 
who  today  are  conspicuous  in  public  affairs  have  been  trained 
in  the  church  schools.  Until  the  rise  of  the  state  universities 
these  institutions  were  practically  the  only  ones  where  a  liberal 
education  could  be  obtained.  What  is  needed  now  is  not  an 
increase  in  denominational  colleges,  but  a  strengthening  of 
those  that  already  exist,  and  that  are  proving  their  worth  by 
the  excellency  of  the  educational  work  they  are  doing. 

Note  4.     Student  Self-Govemment  in  Religious  Education. 

One  of  the  most  marked  changes  in  college  life  during  the  past 
half  century  is  the  large  measure  of  self-government  accorded 
to  the  students.  They  are  no  longer  treated  as  boys  that  need 
to  be  watched  and  directed  by  the  faculty  in  all  the  details 
of  their  lives.  One  of  the  chief  values  of  college  life  to  a  yoimg 
man  is  learning  self-mastery.  The  old-time  paternal  attitude 
on  the  part  of  the  faculty  is  almost  everywhere  a  thing  of  the 
past.  It  is  possible  only  where  the  number  of  students  is  com- 
paratively small. 

In  no  respect  is  this  change  more  apparent  than  in  the 
sphere  of  religious  education.  The  Bible  may  still  be  studied 
as  history  or  literature,  but  as  a  help  in  cultivating  a  devotional 
and  spiritual  life  its  study  has  almost  entirely  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  students  themselves.  The  center  of  religious 
life  is  no  longer  the  chapel  exercise  but  the  Young  Men's 
or  the  Yoimg  Women's  Christian  Association,  which  is  often 
housed  in  its  own  building,  provided  with  a  reading  room 
and  rooms  for  Bible  classes,  led  by  students  who  have  been 
trained  at  summer  schools.  A  weekly  prayer  meeting  is  also 
cared  for  by  student  leaders.  In  many  of  the  larger  universi- 
ties the  oversight  of  the  religious  interests  of  the  entire  student 
body  is  committed  to  a  paid  Y.  M.  C.  A.  secretary,  who  seeks 
to  establish  personal  relations  with  as  many  as  possible.  In 
the  smaller  institutions  the  tendency  is  in  the  same  direction 
as  far  as  their  situations  and  means  permit. 

Note  5,  The  Future  of  Church  Schools.  The  rapid  multi- 
pHcation  of  state  -universities  during  the  past  thirty  or  forty 
years,  the  large  fimds  at  their  disposal,  the  splendid  equipments 
furnished  in  every  line  of  research,  and  the  large  number  of  stu- 
dents whom  they  attract  have  aroused  a  fear  that  the  smaller 
denominational  colleges  have  had  their  day  and  must  go  to 
the  waU.     As  large  a    proportion  of  the  students  in  these 


224  The  Modern  Church  ^«^<"^ 

secular  institutions  as  in  the  church  schools  come  from  Christian 
families,  and  they  are  being  attracted  in  constantly  increasing 
numbers.  Some  years  ago  it  was  shown  that  the  University 
of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor  had  more  Presb>i:erian  students 
enrolled  than  Princeton  or  any  other  Presbyterian  college 
in  the  United  States.  Such  facts  seem  at  first  sight  to  make 
the  outlook  for  the  church  schools  doubtful. 

But  there  is  another  side.  The  separation  between  church 
and  state  has  forced  the  state  universities  into  the  same  relation 
toward  religion  as  the  public  schools.  Christianity  itself 
can  claim  no  assistance  through  taxation.  *'  The  exclusion 
of  the  use  of  the  Bible  and  the  forms  of  Christian  worship, 
the  elimination  of  the  religious  sanctions  from  the  foundations 
of  ethics,  and  the  liberty  accorded  to  teachers  to  express  their 
doubts  concerning  the  fundamental  doctrines  taught  in  Christian 
homes  and  churches,  combine  to  constitute  a  form  of  non- 
sectarianism  quite  at  variance  with  that  known  in  the  earlier 
state  institutions.  It  is  the  fear  that  non-sectarian  education 
may  go  to  this  extreme  length  that  has  alarmed  Christian 
people  and  fostered  the  conviction  that  church  denominations 
should  tighten  rather  than  loosen  their  control  over  the  colleges 
they  have  founded  and  maintained." 

Furthermore,  the  great  number  of  small  denominational 
colleges  have  been  of  inestimable  service  to  the  communities 
in  which  they  have  been  planted.  Few  students  go  to  them 
from  a  distance.  By  far  the  larger  number  is  dra-wTi  from  the 
immediate  vicinity.  The  tuition  fees  are  in  most  cases  con- 
siderably less  than  half  of  what  the  larger  colleges  and  imiver- 
sities  demand,  and  other  expenses  are  correspondingly  moderate. 
Thousands  of  young  persons  have  been,  and  are  still,  able  to 
take  advantage  of  these  conditions,  and  to  acquire  a  liberal 
education  as  a  foundation  for  successful  careers,  who  would 
have  had  to  forgo  the  advantages  offered  by  the  distant  and 
more  costly  universities. 

Finally,  each  one  of  the  church  schools  has  behind  it  the 
sacrifices,  the  affectionate  loyalty,  and  the  constant  prayers 
of  a  denomination  that  feels  a  large  measure  of  responsibility 
for  its  welfare.  Though  under  denominational  control,  these 
colleges  have  long  ago  solved  the  problem  of  making  education 
Christian  without  making  it  offensively  sectarian.  They 
attract  young  people  of  all  Protestant  beliefs  as  well  as  Roman 
Catholics  and  Jews.     There  probably  never  will  be  a  time  when 


Thirty-five  CkuTCh  Sckools  225 

the  Christian  world  will  not  be  organized  in  different  groups. 
So  long  as  this  is  the  case,  and  so  long  as  church  and  state  are 
so  separated  that  the  latter  in  its  educational  institutions 
cannot  undertake  direct  religious  instruction,  so  long  the  work 
must  be  done  by  denominations,  either  in  avowedly  church 
schools  or  by  providing  religious  education  in  the  state  univer- 
sities. While  these  institutions  properly  refuse  to  use  state 
funds  for  this  purpose,  the  authorities  usually  stand  ready 
to  co-operate  in  all  legitimate  ways  for  promoting  the  religious 
interests  of  the  students.  Christian  Associations  are  cordially 
recognized.  Denominational  guilds  are  welcomed.  Several 
denominations  have  assigned  pastors  to  the  work  of  looking 
after  their  own  yoting  people,  lists  of  whom  are  gladly  provided 
by  the  imiversity  authorities.  In  these  and  many  other  ways 
the  state  imiversities  are  showing  their  appreciation  of  the 
value  of  religious  education. 

ADDITIONAL   READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Perry  in  Recent  Christian  Progress,  pp.  433-439.  {2)  Moffatt  in 
Religious  Education,  April,  1910,  on  "  The  Debt  of  the  Nation  to  the 
Denominational  College,"  pp.  46-51.  {3)  For  statistics  of  colleges  under 
denominational  oversight,  see  the  respective  denominational  year  books. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  How  did  the  destinies  of  North  America  fall  into  the  hands  of  Prot- 
estants from  Northern  Europe? 

2.  What  led  to  the  beginning  of  home  missions? 

3.  How  did  the  territorial  expansion  of  the  United  States  pave  the  way 
for  home  missions? 

4.  Describe  some  of  the  methods  that  characterize  the  home  mission 
advance. 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE   LESSON. 
1.  In  what  sense  is  the  term  "  church  school"  used  in  this  lesson^ 


2.  What  purpose  moved  the  New  England  Pilgrims  to  found  colleges  1 


3.  What  was  the  attitude  of  the  home  missionaries  toward  higher  re- 
ligious education? 


226  The  Modern  Church  ^^"^« 

4.  How  were  religious  interests  cared  for  in  the  early  church  schools? 


5.  What  was  the  prevailing  attitude  of  church  schools  toward  sectarian 
teachings? 


6.  How  is  the  present  importance  of  denominational  colleges  and  uni- 
versities shown? 


7.  Why  has  religious  education  in  colleges  and  universities  passed  largely 
into  the  hands  of  the  students  themselves? 


8.  What  has  led  some  persons  to  regard  the  future  of  church  schools  as 
doubtful? 


9.  Why  is  it  likely  that  the  denominational  college  will  remain  a  perma- 
nent American  institution? 


10.    How    are    state    universities    co-operating    in    providing    religious 
education? 


SUBJECTS  FOR   SPECIAL   STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  is  meant  by  a  non-sectarian,  as  distinguished  from  a  denomina- 
tional, college? 

2.  In  what  sense  can  Harvard,  Yale,  Brown,  Columbia,  Chicago,  and 
other  similar  universities  be  classed  as  non-sectarian? 

3.  What  are  the  leading  non-sectarian  institutions  of  your  own  denomi- 
nation? 

4.  To  what  extent  does  the  Carnegie  Foundation  for  the  Advancement 
of  Teaching  discriminate  against  church  schools? 

5.  To  what  extent  has  it  influenced  church  schools  to  abandon  ecclesi- 
astical control? 

QUESTION   FOR   CLASS   DISCUSSION. 

Has  the  transfer  of  religious  leadership  from  faculty  to  student  been  a 
gain  or  a  loss? 


Thirty-Six  xhe  Religtous  Press  227 

Lesson  36.    THE  RELIGIOUS  PRESS. 

Scripture  Reading:  A  Bringer  of  Good  Tidings.     Isa.  52:7-10. 

Note  1.    What  We   Mean  by   the   Religious   Press.    The 

first  printed  book  was  the  Bible.  From  that  day  to  this  the 
printing  press  has  been  used  in  the  production  of  reHgious 
literature  more  largely  than  in  any  other  department  of  human 
thought.  In  the  widest  sense  aU  this  mass  of  books,  pam- 
phlets, and  periodicals  might  be  included  under  the  term 
"religious  press."  But,  as  in  speaking  of  "the  press,"  we 
commonly  mean  only  the  newspapers  or  periodical  literature 
of  a  cormtry,  so  it  seems  best  to  limit  the  term  "religious 
press "  to  serial  publications,  whether  weekly,  monthly  or 
quarterly,  whether  popular  or  technical,  that  aim  to  minister 
to  the  religious  needs  of  individuals  or  churches. 

Note  2.  Religious  Journalism  in  America.  Early  American 
journalism  was  almost  wholly  political.  The  first  newspaper 
printed  in  the  American  colonies  was  Puhlick  Occurrences, 
issued  in  Boston,  September  25,  1690,  but  immediately  sup- 
pressed by  the  government  because  it  ventured  to  print  a 
smaU  installment  of  domestic  news.  The  first  successful 
newspaper  was  the  5o5/aw  News- Letter,  1704,  which  lived  through 
many  vicissitudes  for  a  space  of  seventy-two  years.  More 
than  a  century  passed  before  a  distinctively  religious  news- 
paper appeared.  The  first  venture  in  this  line  was  the  Bos- 
ton Recorder,  issued  in  1816,  and  afterwards  merged  with  The 
Congregationalist.  In  1819  the  Baptists  of  Boston  started 
The  Christian  Watchman,  which,  after  having  incorporated 
several  other  papers,  and  having  experienced  several  modifica- 
tions of  name,  survived  as  The  Watchman  until  its  union  in 
1913  with  The  Examiner  of  New  York.  The  New  York 
Observer  was  started  in  1820  by  the  Presbyterians;  Zion's 
Herald,  about  the  same  time  in  Boston  by  the  Methodists; 
and  The  Christian  Register  in  1821  by  the  Unitarians.  In 
less  than  ten  years  after  the  appearance  of  the  Recorder  one 
himdred  such  newspapers  had  sprung  into  existence.  Since 
then  the  number  has  rapidly  increased,  so  that  now  every 
denomination  has  its  more  or  less  numerous  periodicals  devoted 
to  every  phase  of  denominational  interest.  The  entire  number 
published  in  this  country  in  1912  was  856,  with  circulations 
ranging  from  160  to  508,876, 


228  The  Modern  Church  ^"^^« 

Besides  these  there  is  a  small  but  influential  body  of  un- 
sectarian  periodicals,  such  as  The  Christian  Herald  and  The 
Outlook,  and  stiU  others  that  represent  interdenominational 
interests,  such  as  The  Christian  Endeavor  World,  and  the 
Sunday-School  Times.  Christian  Work,  after  absorbing  The 
Evangelist  and  quite  recently  the  old  New  York  Ohserver^ 
has  really  become  an  undenominational  publication,  though 
nominally  Presbi^erian. 

Note  3.  The  Period  of  Prosperity.  American  religious 
journalism  reached  its  greatest  development  and  power  between 
1840  and  1880.  The  rapid  multipHcation  of  rival  sects,  the' 
absorbing  controversies  respecting  doctrines,  rituals,  and 
ecclesiastical  ^  polity,  and  the  oracular  authority  accorded  to 
the  editors,  combined  to  give  the  reli.gious  newspapers  an 
extraordinary  circulation.  Each  sect,  however  insignificant, 
felt  that  its  existence  depended  on  its  having  an  ''  organ  "  for 
attack  and  defense.  The  larger  Christian  bodies  were  aggres- 
sively denominational.  Every  editor  regarded  himself  as  a 
watchman  set  on  the  walls  of  his  particular  Zion  to  guard 
against  heresies.  Minor  points  of  difference  were  so  magnified 
as  to  obscure  essential  points  held  in  common.  Naturally 
the  people  became  absorbed  in  discussions,  each  one  eager  to 
see  his  own  journalistic  champion  pulverize  the  adversary. 
Moreover,  foreign  missions  were  still  enveloped  in  a  halo  of 
romance,  and  news  from  the  distant  fields  was  eagerly  sought. 
Those  were  the  halcyon  days  when  religious  journalism  exerted 
an  immense  influence  in  public  affairs,  and  when  the  leading 
editors  loomed  up  as  giants  in  the  land. 

Note  4.  The  Present  a  Period  of  Decline.  During  the 
past  thirty  years  denominational  periodicals  have  greatly 
decreased  in  number,  and  many  of  those  that  survive  have 
a  hard  struggle  to  keep  alive.  Precisely  when  the  decline 
began  it  may  be  difficult  to  state,  but  some  of  the  reasons 
are  easily  discerned. 

(1)  A  lessening  popular  interest  in  discussions  of  theological 
doctrines  and  ecclesiastical  practices. 

(2)  A  new  conception  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  its  world- 
wide relations,  and  a  consequently  waning  interest  in  sectarian 
controversies. 

(3)  The  growth  of  a  strong  undenominational  journalism 
that  emphasizes  the  larger  aspects  of  the  kingdom  and  points 


Thiriy-six  jIj^q  Religious  Press  229 

of  fundamental  tinity  rather  than  minor  differences. 

(4)  The  pubHcation  of  considerable  reHgious  news  by  the 
secular  press. 

(5)  The  field  formerly  filled  by  the  religious  newspaper  is 
now  occupied  in  part  by  specialized  publications,  on  missions, 
temperance,  social  reform,  etc. 

(6)  ReHgious  periodicals  must  pay  their  own  way  or  cease 
to  exist.  With  the  increasing  cost  of  production  many  of  the 
weaker  class  became  unprofitable  and  were  merged  with  others. 

(7)  The  exclusion  of  objectionable  advertising  in  recent  years 
cut  still  further  into  the  reduced  income.  This  loss  could 
not  be  made  good  by  better  advertising,  since  the  field  of 
the  average  religious  newspaper  in  this  respect  is  quite  limited. 

(8)  But  the  most  potent  reason,  perhaps,  is  "  the  modem 
disposition  to  make  no  sharp  distinction  between  things  sacred 
and  things  secular.  The  distinction  between  the  modem 
reHgious  journal  and  the  daily  or  weekly  newspaper  which 
is  edited  by  high-minded  men  and  in  accordance  with  the 
standards  of  Christian  ethics,  is  not  always  marked." 

Note  5.    The   Abiding   Functions   of   the   Religious   Press. 

That  many  religious  periodicals  are  disappearing  or  ha\4ng 
a  hard  time  is  true  also  of  the  secular  press,  as  well  as  of  all 
forms  of  church  work.  Religious  enterprises  of  ah  kinds  are 
facing  economic  and  social  conditions  that  make  their  work 
increasingly  difficult. 

On  the  contrary,  we  may  assure  ourselves  that  the  day  of  the 
reHgious  press,  even  in  the  narrower  sense  of  denominational 
journalism,  has  not  passed.     Some  of  the  reasons  are: 

(1)  Probably  ninety-five  per  cent  of  the  religious  life  of 
the  people  is  within  the  denominations,  and  the  rest  of  it  is 
inspired  hy  them.  In  spite  of  much  talk  about  church  federa- 
tions and  church  unity,  and  an  increasing  emphasis  on  truths 
held  in  common,  the  great  majority  of  Christians  stiU  find 
a  particular  denomination  the  chief  field  for  religious  interest 
and  activity.  Those  of  like  faith  and  order  are  their  own  people 
in  a  Httle  closer  sense  than  others.  The  denominational  paper 
keeps  the  individual  in  touch  with  denominational  interests. 

It  must  not,  however,  be  narrowly  partisan.  It  fails  lament- 
ably if  it  does  not  aim  to  inspire  its  readers  with  a  sense  of 
responsibility  respecting  service  to  be  rendered  to  the  community 
at  large. 


230  The  Modern  Church  ^"^o« 

(2)  It  is  impossible  to  get  from  secular  newspapers  any 
adequate  idea  of  what  goes  on  in  the  religious  world.  The 
ordinary  activities  of  the  churches,  or  details  of  progress 
on  the  home  or  foreign  fields,  do  not  constitute  news  of  the 
kind  eagerly  sought  by  secular  journals.  Church  people 
need  periodicals  that  make  a  business  of  gathering  religious 
news,  and  treating  it  intelligently.  The  religious  press  meets 
a  specific  demand,  precisely  as  do  trade  journals  and  scientific 
publications.  The  daily  newspaper  can  no  more  fill  the  place 
of  The  Congregationalist,  The  Churchman,  The  Christian  Advo- 
cate or  any  other  representative  denominational  paper,  than 
that  of  the  Horseshoer's  Journal  or  The  Scientific  American. 
Frequently  a  brief  and  bald  news  item  in  the  morning  paper 
has  a  profound  and  far-reaching  meaning  that  needs  to  be 
interpreted.  Every  economic,  political,  and  social  problem 
rests  on  some  ethical  principle  that  demands  elucidation.  There 
are  vital  questions,  like  the  appropriation  of  money  for  sec- 
tarian purposes,  that  even  the  most  independent  dailies  scarcely 
dare  mention  for  fear  of  alienating  a  considerable  part  of  their 
clientage.  These  conditions  are  permanent  and  can  be  met 
only  by  an  independent,  fearless,  and  progressive  press. 

(3)  The  religious  press  preforms  an  important  service  by 
passing  discriminating  judgments  on  current  literature  from  the 
religious  point  of  view.  "  Probably  more  books  are  purchased 
on  the  verdict  of  the  religious  journal  than  in  any  other  way." 

(4)  The  religious  press  stands  next  to  the  Christian  pulpit 
in  holding  up  those  high  ideals  which  make  for  sweetness, 
tenderness  and  consecration  in  character;  in  promoting  a 
sense  of  human  brotherhood  and  universal  peace;  and  in  creat- 
ing a  passion  for  the  realization  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  its 
world-wide  scope.  An  agency  with  such  a  mission  cannot 
perish  from  the  earth. 

ADDITIONAL   READING   REFERENCES. 

(1)  Strong:  "  The  Religious  Press  in  America,"  in  Recent  Christian 
Progress,  pp.  447-450.  (I)  Merriam:  "  The  Iniiuence  of  the  Religious 
Press  on  the  Home  and  the  School,"  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Religious 
Education  Association,  1904,  pp.  442-445.  This  volume  contains  several 
other  discussions  bearing  on  the  subject  of  this  lesson.  (3)  Willett: 
Religious  Education,  October,  1910,  pp.  355-359. 

REVIEW   QUESTIONS. 

1.  Why  did  thQ  Protestant  pioneers  make  ea,rly  provisions  for  collegiate 
education? 


Thirty-Six  xhe  ReUgwus  Press  231 

2.  Why  is  religious  education  now  left  with  the  students  themselves? 

3.  How  has  the  demand  for  church  schools  been  affected  by  State  uni- 
versities? 

4.  Why  are  church  schools  likely  to  hold  a  permanent  place  in  American 

life? 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  kind  of  pubHcations  are  included  under  the  term  "  religious 
press  "  ? 


2.  What  were  the  earliest  American  religious  newspapers? 


3.  To  what  extent  has  the  American  religious  press  expanded  since 
then? 


4.  Mention  some  of  the  more  prominent  undenominational  newspapers. 


5    Describe  briefly  the  period  of  prosperity. 


6.  Mention  some  reasons  for  the  subsequent  decline. 


7.  What  is  the  outlook  for  the  denominational  press? 


8.  Why  is  the  secular  press  unable  to  take  the  place  of  the  religious? 


9.  State  some  other  reasons  why  the  religious  press  is  to  be  a  permanent 
institution. 


232  The  Modern  Church  -^"^ow 

SUBJECTS  FOR   SPECIAL   STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  many  religious  periodicals  are  taken  in  your  home? 

2.  Which  do  you  regard  as  the  more  valuable — a  denominational  or  an 
undenominational  publication? 

3.  To  what  extent  are  religious  periodicals  taken  in  your  church? 

4.  What  do  you  think  would  be  the  result  if  every  family  in  your  church 
could  be  prevailed  on  to  take  one  or  more  religious  periodicals? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1,  Are  church  people  responsible  for  the  inadequate  attention  given  to 
religious  subjects  in  the  secular  press?     Give  reasons. 

2.  How  many  secular  papers  would  you  have  to  read  in  order  to  find 
out  the  important  news  concerning  your  own  denomination? 


Lesson  37.    YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN 
ASSOCIATIONS. 

Scripture  Reading:  Young  Men  Seeing  Visions.     Joel  2:  28-32. 

Note  1.  A  Young  Man  with  a  Vision.  In  1844  Sir  George 
Williams  was  only  an  unknown  clerk  in  a  big  dry  goods  house 
in  London.  He  slept  and  prayed  in  an  upper  room  in  St. 
Paul's  Churchyard,  and  as  he  prayed  there  came  to  him  a 
vision  of  the  neglected  spiritual  needs  of  young  men  engaged 
in  various  business  employments.  On  Jrnie  6,  1844,  in  that 
upper  room,  he  and  another  of  the  clerks  planned  the  First 
Yoimg  Men's  Christian  Association.  Five  months  later  ten 
other  clerks  from  the  same  establishment  united  with  these 
two  in  organizing  it.  At  first  it  was  designed  to  minister 
only  to  the  needs  of  the  soul,  but  soon  it  came  to  embrace  those 
of  the  body  and  mind  as  well.  It  spread  rapidly  into  other 
dry  goods  establishments,  then  into  other  trades,  and  soon 
into  the  leading  cities  of  England.  December  9,  1851,  the  first 
Association  in  America  was  organized  in  Montreal,  and  Decem- 
ber 29,  1851,  the  first  in  the  United  States  was  formed  in 
Boston. 

Note  2.  The  Association  Defined.  The  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  is  a  true  child  of  the  Christian  church. 
It  might  be  caUed  the  church  at  work  for  the  all-round  welfare 
of  yoimg  men.  And  yet  though  organized  and  sustained  by 
consecrated  Christian  young  men,   it.  is  wholly  independent 


Thirty-seven  Youfig  Meus  Christian  Associations  233 

of  ecclesiastical  control.  But  it  by  no  means  follows  that  it 
has  not  the  interest  of  the  churches  deeply  at  heart.  On  the 
contrary,  the  leaders  are  absolutely  unanimous  in  holding  that 
the  "  main  business  of  the  Association  is  to  win  men  to  Jesus 
Christ,  relate  them  to  His  church,  train  them  for  His  service, 
and  set  them  to  work  in  and  for  the  church." 

The  mem^bership  is  divided  into  active  and  associate.  The 
active  voting  membership  is  restricted  to  young  men  affiliated 
with  evangelical  churches.  Associate  members  are  those  who, 
without  regard  to  denominational  affiliation,  join  the  organ- 
ization for  the  sake  of  its  educational,  athletic  or  social  privileges. 

Note  3.  Organization  and  Growth.  At  first  the  associa- 
tional  tmit  was  the  individual  city  membership.  The  rapid 
multiplication  of  Associations  in  the  United  States  and  Canada 
soon  demanded  county,  state,  and  provincial  organizations, 
all  unified  in  a  central  International  Committee  whose  per- 
manent home  since  1866  has  been  in  New  York  City.  Every 
three  years  an  International  (United  States  and  Canada) 
Convention  is  held  in  which  each  Association  is  accorded 
direct  representation.  This  Convention  passes  on  all  questions 
of  general  interest,  and  its  decisions  are  binding  on  the  Associa- 
tions. It  elects  the  International  Committee  composed  of 
ninety  members.  This  Committee  acts  as  the  agent  of  the 
Convention  in  extending  the  number  and  increasing  the  effi- 
ciency of  the  local  Associations. 

The  International  Committee  super\^ises  and  directs  the 
world-wide  activities  of  the  American  Associations.  To  this 
end  it  employs  in  the  home  field  a  total  force  of  over  a  hundred 
executive,  traveling,  and  office  secretaries.  Its  secretaries 
on  the  foreign  field  nimiber  132.  These  American  represent- 
atives in  other  lands  of  the  movement  "  are  charged  with  the 
responsibility  of  establishing  and  developing  model  Associa- 
tions in  the  seats  of  commerce,  government  and  education 
in  the  countries  of  which  they  have  been  sent."  These  cotintries 
are  Japan,  Korea,  China,  Philippine  Islands,  India,  Ceylon, 
Turkey,  Russia,  Mexico,  Cuba,  Porto  Rico,  Brazil,  Uruguay, 
Argentina,  and  Chili. 

The  2, 192  Associations  in  North  America,  according  to  the 
World  Almanac,  1913,  have  563,479  members,  and  3,633 
general  secretaries  and  other  paid  officials.  They  own  and 
occupy    756    buildings    valued    at    $60,454,336.     They    have 


234  The  Modern  Church  ^"^^ 

67,417  young  men  as  students  in  evening  educational  classes, 
300,590  in  their  physical  departments,  and  103,599  in  Bible 
classes.  For  local,  state,  and  international  expenses  they 
expended  in  1912,  $11,302,547. 

The  International  Committee  is  affiliated  with  the  World's 
Committee  whose  headquarters  are  in  Geneva,  Switzerland. 
This  committee  is  composed  of  members  who  represent  every 
continent,  and  practically  every  civilized  country  in  the  world. 

Note  4.  The  Work  of  the  Associations.  To  give  an  ade- 
quate idea  of  the  work  done  by  the  Yotmg  Men's  Christian 
Associations  would  require  far  more  than  the  space  allotted 
to  this  lesson.  The  briefest  mention  of  some  of  the  more 
important  must  suffice. 

Each  local  Association  has  its  familiar  Bible  classes,  other 
religious  services,  its  boarding  house  and  employment  bureaus, 
its  educational  classes,  its  athletic  department,  and  its  pro- 
visions for  social  life  —  all  mider  the  direction  of  a  paid  general 
secretary,  many  of  whom  have  received  specialized  training 
at  the  Association  College  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  or  at  the 
training  school  in  Chicago.  The  educational  courses  in  the 
Associations  range  in  number  from  half  a  dozen  to  two  himdred, 
and  in  character  from  ordinary  high  school  studies  to  highly 
specialized  industries  and  professions.  For  instance,  the 
Boston  Association  offers  eighteen  law  coiu-ses  in  its  evening 
schools,  and  is  authorized  to  grant  the  degree  of  LL.B.  The 
industrial  courses  are  planned  to  train  men  for  more  efficient 
service  in  the  vocations  in  which  they  are  employed.  Brockton 
and  Lynn  are  the  chief  centers  in  Massachusetts  for  the  manu- 
facture of  shoes.  In  each  of  these  places  the  local  Association 
organized  a  '*  Shoe  Makers'  College,"  in  which  a  man,  confined 
in  the  factory  to  a  single  one  of  the  hundred  operations  in- 
volved in  the  making  of  a  shoe,  may  learn  all  the  processes  of 
the  industry  and  so  fit  himself  for  higher  positions  and  better 
pay.  In  the  present  system  of  extreme  subdivision  of  labor, 
such  a  knowledge  is  as  rare  as  it  is  valuable.  Business  courses 
are  provided  in  great  variety. 

Attention  has  already  been  called  (Lesson  35,  Note  4)  to 
the  transfer  of  religious  instruction  in  nearly  all  the  higher 
educational  institutions  of  the  country  from  the  faculties  to 
the  Yotmg  Men's  Christian  Associations.  On  the  other 
hand,  thousands  of  college  and  university  students  are  getting 


Thirty-seven 


Young  Men's  Christian  Associations 


235 


236  The  Modern  Church  ^«^«« 

invaluable  preparation  for  their  future  work,  and  an  inspi- 
ration for  social  service  never  dreamed  of,  by  conducting  educa- 
tional classes  in  labor  unions,  talking  in  shop  meetings, 
instructing  American  mechanics,  doing  deputation  work  in 
rural  communities  and  extension  work  in  southern  cotton  mill 
villages,  and  teaching  foreigners  English  to  make  them  better 
workmen,  civics  to  make  them  better  Americans,  and  rights 
and  duties  to  make  them  better  citizens. 

Distinct  and  extensive  departments  of  work  are  those 
among  the  railroad  men,  in  the  Army  and  Navy,  among  the 
colored  people  in  the  South,  for  boys,  and  for  immigrants. 
At  EUis  Island  the  foreigner  is  met  by  Association  men  who 
speak  twenty-four  languages,  who  see  to  his  getting,  ashore, 
change  his  money  for  him,  find  him  an  approved  boarding 
house,  procure  him  work  if  he  stays  in  New  York,  or  buy  his 
ticket  and  put  him  on  a  train  with  food  for  his  journey,  and 
a  card  to  the  Association  secretary  nearest  to  his  destination. 
But  the  work  of  the  Association  does  not  begin  when  the 
stranger  lands  at  an  American  port.  At  eleven  of  the  chief 
ports  in  Europe  agents  are  on  hand  who  win  the  confidence  of 
the  emigrants  by  friendly  services  and  by  offers  of  still  further 
services  on  this  side  if  they  are  willing  to  accept  them. 

Note  5.  What  One  Association  is  Doing.  Simply  to  give 
an  idea  of  the  varied  and  extensive  work  that  one  Association 
does,  the  following  summary  of  the  reports  for  1911  in  the 
Boston  Association  is  given.     It  includes  all  branches  except 

the  Navy. 

8,738         Different  men  and  boys   (815)  connected  with  the  Associa- 
tion in  1911.     Membership,  December  31,  5,637. 
21,237         Aggregate  attendance  of  men  and  boys  (5,038)  at  religious 
services. 
8,720        Aggregate   attendance   of   men   and   women   at   Norumbega 

Park  meetings. 
6,604         Aggregate  attendance  of  men  and  boys  (4,323)  at  Bible  classes. 
$2,492.63  Contributed    to    State,    International    and    Foreign    Work. 
1,788         Different  men  and  boys  (673)  connected  with  the  Physical 
Department. 
56,253         Aggregate  attendance  at  gymnasia. 

37,561         Aggregate  attendance  at  2,154  class  sessions  in  gymnasia. 
1,634         Medical  and  physical  examinations  were  made. 
1,624         Aggregate  participants  in  gymnasia  team  contests. 
2,485         Individual  men  enrolled  in  the  Association  Institute. 
205,978        Aggregate  attendance  at  11,894  class  sessions  covering  195 
courses. 


Thiriy-seven  Youug  Mens  Christian  Associations  237 

$2,325 .  35  Received  and  deposited  in  Savings  Department. 
1J046         Men  and  boys  furnished  permanent  and  temporary  employ-  ■ 
ment,  representing  $416,000  in  wages  for  year. 
15,703         Persons  attended  socials  and  entertainments. 
190         Visits  made  to  the  sick  and  injured. 

865         Individuals  were  referred  to  rooms  and  boarding  places. 
21,081         Temporary  beds  furnished  and  paid  for  by  men. 
41,580         Meals  and  luncheons  furnished  and  paid  for  by  men. 

368         Men  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  the  Outing  Department,  represent- 
ing 764  weeks  against  60S  in  1910. 
1,128        Immigrants  met  at  the  docks  and  rendered  sorne  service. 
370         Non-English   speaking  men  enrolled  in   18  different  classes 
representing  4  nationalities. 
1,359         Boys  enjoyed  the  outings. 

3,339         Boys  attended  the  boys'  entertainments,  lectures,  practical 

talks,  etc. 

100         Members  Boy  Scouts  of  America.     First  troop  in  Boston. 

112         Boys   enjoyed   the   benefits   of   Camps  Durrell,  Becket,  and 

Sagamore. 

1,181         Boys  enrolled  in  clean  sports,  clean  speech,  and  clean  living 

clubs. 
5.612         High  school  boys  addressed  by  prominent  speakers. 

This  work  of  the  Boston  Association  wdll  doubtless  be  greatly 
extended  when  it  enters  its  new  building,  now  almost  com- 
pleted. 

Note  6.  Religious  Movements  Within  the  Bounds  of  the 
Associations.  Three  great  religious  movements  have  sprung 
into  life  under  the  inspiration  of  the  Yo-ung  Men's  Christian 
Association.  First,  the  Students'  Volimteer  Movement  for 
Foreign  Missions,  bom  at  Mt.  Hermon,  ]\Iass.,  in  1886;  second, 
the  World's  Student  Christian  Federation,  foimded  in  Wadstena, 
Sweden,  in  1895;  and  third,  the  Men  and  Religion  Movement 
already  described  in  Lesson  25.  The  second  of  these  w^as  a 
direct  result  of  the  first  world-tour  of  student  centers  by 
J.  R.  Mott  of  New  York.  In  view  of  these  movements  **  the 
Yoimg  Men's  Christian  Associations  of  America  can  no 
longer  be  considered  as  a  group  of  local  institutions  doing 
definite  things  for  a  few  thousand  men  who  visit  their  buildings. 
They  have  become  a  mighty,  continent-mde,  many-sided, 
complex,  yet  pervasive  and  aggressive  movement  of  the  churches 
of  America,  which  should  be  counted  on  as  a  supporting  friend 
of  all  that  makes  for  the  physical,  mental,  social,  and  moral 
advancement  of  all  the  man  and  boys  of  the  continent." 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Hodder:  Life  of  Sir  George  Williams.  {2)  Reports  of  the  Inter- 
national Committee.  *  (S)    The  Survey,  January  18  and  April  19,    1913. 


238  The  Modern  Church  ^*"^ 

(4)  Outlook,  July  13  and  September  7,  1912.  (5)  Missionary  Review, 
November,  1912.  {6)  World  Today,  February  and  April,  1911.  (7) 
World's  Work,  June,  1913. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  When  did  religious  journalism  reach  its  greatest  development  in 
America? 

2.  What  causes  promoted  this  growth? 

3.  What  led  to  a  subsequent  decline? 

4.  Why  must  we  consider  the  religious  press  a  permanent  institution? 

QUESTIONS   ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Tell  briefly  how  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  originated. 


2.  How  is  it  related  to  the  churches? 


3.  What  are  the  conditions  of  membership? 


4.  Describe  the  international  organization. 


5.  Give  some  idea  of  the  growth  of  the  movement  in  North  America. 


6.  How  do  the  Associations  meet  educational  demands? 


7.  How  do  they  co-operate  with  college  and  university  students? 


8.  What  are  some  of  the  great  departments  of  work? 


Thirty-eight        Yottfig  Womeu's  Christian  Associations  239 

9.  How  do  the  Associations  assist  foreigners  coming  to  America? 


10.  What  great  religious  movements  have  been  started  through  the 
American  branch  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association? 


11.  In  consequence  of  these  movements,  what  is  the  present  scope  of 
its  work? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL   STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  is  the  membership  of  your  local  Association? 

2.  What  is  its  equipment? 

3.  What  work  is  it  doing? 

4.  How  many  young  men  have  through  its  influence  united  with  the 
local  churches  during  the  past  year? 

5.  Consider  the  Railroad,  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  the  Boys'  Depart- 
ments as  subjects  for  special  study. 

6.  How  much  does  it  cost  to  belong  to  the  Association  nearest  you? 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  To  what  would  you  attribute  the  growth  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  movement? 

2.  What  would  you  consider  its  value  as  a  factor  in  improving  human 
efficiency? 


Lesson  38.    YOUNG    WOMEN'S  CHRISTIAN 
ASSOCIATIONS. 

Scriptiire  Reading:  Showing  Kindness  to  a  Handmaiden  and  a  Stranger. 

Ruth  2:  1-16. 

Note  1.  How  the  Movement  Started.  Many  years  passed 
before  a  movement  was  begtm  in  behalf  of  young  women 
designed  to  do  for  them  what  the  Yotmg  Men's  Christian 
Association  did  for  those  of  the  other  sex.  This  delay  was 
not  because  no  one  recognized  the  need.  As  early  as  1845, 
the  year  after  the  founding  of  the  Association  for  yoimg  men, 
George  Williams  called  attention  to   the  need  of  organized 


240  The  Modern  Church  ^^"^« 

efforts  in  behalf  of  young  women.  But  his  appeal  for  a  "  Young 
Ladies' Association,"  met  no  response.  In  1856  Mrs.  Lucretia 
Boyd,  a  city  missionary  in  Boston,  suggested  the  organization 
of  a  society  of  this  character  for  young  women,  but  her  tentative 
proposition  slumbered  ten  more  years  before  a  successful  effort 
was  made  to  realize  it.  The  reason  for  this  delay  was  the  pro- 
nounced opposition  to  the  formation  of  another  organization 
to  do  work  that  the  churches  professed  themselves  abundantly 
able  to  do.  This  feeling  was  perhaps  inspired,  in  part  at  least, 
by  the  old  but  still  surviving  prejudice  against  affording  the 
same  opportunities  to  women  as  to  men.  Moreover,  when 
Williams  made  his  appeal,  there  were  comparatively  few  oc- 
cupations open  to  women.  Most  of  them  remained  at  home 
until  they  married  and  set  up  homes  of  their  own. 

By  1866  the  need  had  become  so  convincing  that  action  could 
no  longer  be  delayed.  In  March  of  that  year,  in  Boston,  at 
the  home  of  Mrs.  Henry  F.  Durant,  wife  of  the  founder  of 
Wellesley  College,  the  first  Young  Women's  Christian  Associa- 
tion was  organized,  and  began  work  at  once.  Its  object,  as 
stated  in  its  constitution,  was  to  promote  "  the  temporal, 
moral  and  religious  welfare  of  young  women  who  are  dependent 
on  their  own  exertions  for  support."  Within  a  few  weeks  a 
reading  room  was  opened  for  recreational  and  religious  purposes. 
Active  voting  members  must  be  identified  with  evangelical 
churches,  but  any  young  woman  of  respectable  character  may 
become  an  associate  member.  The  present  headquarters  of 
the  Association,  erected  in  1884,  have  long  ago  ceased  to  be 
adequate  for  the  work  that  might  be  done. 

Note  2.  The  Work  of  the  Boston  Association.  As  this 
Association  served  for  many  years  as  a  model  for  the  hundreds 
of  similar  organizations  that  sprang  up  over  the  country, 
a  closer  study  of  its  activities  may  be  helpful.  From  the 
outset  it  has  striven  to  render  assistance  of  the  most  practical 
kind.  In  its  first  modest  reading  room  it  began  helping  yoimg 
women  (out  of  work)  to  find  employment,  and  to  direct  those 
without  a  home  to  respectable  boarding  places.  But  the  need 
of  a  large  building  imder  the  direct  control  of  the  Association, 
in  which  yoimg  women  could  find  safe  and  comfortable  ac- 
commodations for  longer  or  shorter  periods,  soon  became  so 
pressing  that  the  Warrenton  Street  Home  was  erected  and 
dedicated  in  1874.     Since  then  it  has  sheltered  thousands  of 


Thirty-eight        YouHg  Womeu's  Christian  Associations  241 

yoirng  wage  earners,  and  is  still  fulfilling  its  noble  mission. 
The  number  of  applicants  for  work  also  became  so  great  that 
in  1876  a  regular  emplo3niient  office  was  opened.  So  successful 
has  this  become  that,  according  to  the  report  of  1913,  nearly 
5000  women  were  placed  in  positions  during  the  preceding 
year,  a  large  number  of  them  also  received  vocational  counsel. 

The  cafe  at  the  headquarters  during  the  same  time  supplied 
128,167  meals  to  transients  besides  sheltering  138  permanent 
boarders.  The  Warrenton  Street  Home  had  494  permanent 
boarders  and  1897  transients. 

The  gymnasium  has  large  classes  in  regular  gymnastic  work. 
During  the  three  summer  months  the  entire  plant,  including 
rest  room  and  shower  baths  are  at  the  disposal  of  any  girl 
who  may  choose  to  use  it  for  a  merely  nominal  price. 

The  Training  School  for  Domestic  Service,  begun  in  1879, 
and  the  School  of  Domestic  Science,  begun  in  1888,  are  render- 
ing invaluable  service  in  preparing  young  women  for  efficiency 
in  household  work  and  for  teaching  Domestic  Science.  For  the 
latter  there  is  a  wide  demand. 

The  School  for  Stenography  does  not  attempt  to  compete 
with  the  Business  CoUeges,  but  aims  to  fit  girls  at  a  small  cost 
and  as  quickly  as  possible  to  earn  a  living.  A  diligent  student 
after  earning  her  diploma  is  fitted  to  secure  and  retain  situa- 
tions commanding  good  salaries. 

One  of  the  most  useful  and  beautiful  services  is  that  rendered 
by  the  Travelers'  Aid  department  not  only  to  incoming  im- 
migrants but  to  any  bewildered  stranger.  It  helps  her  to  find 
the  place  where  she  would  go  —  not  always  an  easy  task.  It 
tries  to  advise  her,  house  her,  find  work  for  her,  and  to  protect 
her  from  imsuspected  harm.  The  agents  of  the  Association, 
known  by  a  blue  ribbon,  meet  incoming  steamers,  especially 
from  provincial  ports,  and  receive  from  the  stewardesses  girls 
or  women  needing  special  care,  the  former  in  specific  instances 
not  permitting  them  to  leave  the  boat  except  in  charge  of  an 
Association  woman.  Frequently  requests  come  from  a  distance 
to  meet  children  or  inexperienced  travelers  and  to  help  them 
on  their  way.  Last  year  (1912)  assistance  in  various  ways 
was  rendered  in  2,624  instances. 

Note  3.  Growth  of  the  Associations.  From  the  United 
States  the  movement  has  extended  into  Canada,  Great  Britain, 
nearly  every  European  cotmtry,  South  Africa,  Brazil,  India, 


242  The  Modern  Church  ^"^o« 

China,  and  Japan.  A  World's  Young  Women's  Christian  As- 
sociation was  organized  in  1894  with  headquarters  in  London. 

A  national  organization  embracing  only  our  own  coimtry 
was  formed  in  1906,  the  object  being  "  to  unite  in  one  body 
the  Yoting  Women's  Christian  Associations  of  the  United 
States;  to  establish,  develop  and  tmify  such  associations; 
to  advance  the  physical,  social,  intellectual,  moral,  and  spiritual 
interests  of  young  women."  This  national  organization 
embraces  at  the  present  time  208  city  associations,  660  student 
associations,  and  7  cotmtry  associations.,  Special  work  is 
carried  on  among  immigrant  women,  colored  people,  Indians, 
professional  art  students  and  nurses.  A  training  school  that 
aims  to  provide  competent  secretaries  and  other  executive 
officers  is  located  in  New  York  City.  Eleven  Summer  Confer- 
ences are  held  in  various  parts  of  the  country  where  volunteer 
workers  are  trained  in  Bible  study  and  association  work. 

Not  aU  of  the  Associations  have  united  with  the  national 
organization.  Many  of  them  still  prefer  to  retain  their 
complete  independence.  The  above  figures,  therafore,  do  not 
accurately  represent  the  total  strength  of  the  movement  in  this 
country. 

Note  4.  Religious  Work  of  the  Associations.  Every  local 
organization  puts  a  large  emphasis  on  caring  for  the  spiritual 
life  of  its  members  by  Bible  study,  by  religious  meetings,  and 
by  personal  efforts  in  behalf  of  other  young  women  to  whom  the 
Association  may  be  a  help  and  stimulus.  Special  notice,  how- 
ever, should  be  taken  of  the  work  done  by  the  national  organ- 
ization in  connection  with  educational  institutions.  The 
first  students'  Association  was  started  in  a  co-educational 
college  in  Illinois  in  1872.  The  most  rapid  growth  of  this 
department  was  at  first  in  the  Middle  West,  but  since  then 
it  has  spread  over  the  entire  land.  From  the  beginning  of 
the  Student  Volunteer  movement  a  close  alliance  has  existed 
between  it  and  the  Yotmg  Women's  Christian  Association. 
This  has  resulted  in  the  sending  out  of  over  a  thousand  young 
women  as  missionaries  in  foreign  fields,  many  of  whom  are 
supported  by  the  colleges  in  which  they  were  students. 

The  so-called  Extension  Work  is  a  comparatively  recent 
development.  It  carries  the  work  of  the  Associations  into 
miUs  and  factories,  where  short  noon  meetings  are  held,  and 
where  the  young  women  are  encouraged  to  form  clubs  or  classes 


Thirty -eight         YouHg  Wofueu's  Christian  Associations  243 

for  the  cultivation  of  higher  ideals  than  factory  life  supplies. 
Efforts  are  also  made  to  carry  the  Associations  to  country 
girls  by  means  of  country  organizations,  and  to  the  girls  in 
the  smaller  towns,  both  of  which  classes  have  been  greatly 
neglected. 

As  in  the  case  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  organizations, 
so  here,  multitudes  whom  the  churches  cannot  reach  come  imder 
the  Christianizing  influences  of  the  Associations.  The  least 
they  do  is  to  impress  ideals  that  make  for  better  living  and 
thinking.  For  many  they  do  more.  They  open  the  way  to  the 
beginning  and  development  of  a  noble  womanhood  consecrated 
to  the  service  of  Christ  and  his  church. 

ADDITIONAL   READING   REFERENCES. 

{1)  A  brief  article  in  Recent  Christian  Progress,  pp.  425-428.  {2)  For 
Reports  and  other  literature  published  by  the  Young  Women's  Christian 
Association  of  America,  send  to  headquarters,  125  East  Twenty-Seventh 
Street,  New  York  City.  {3)  Annual  Reports  of  the  Boston  Young  Wo- 
men's Christian  Association,  40  Berkeley  Street,  corner  Appleton.  (4) 
See  also  three  excellent  articles  on  the  work  of  these  Associations  in  Good 
Housekeeping  for  September,  1909,  April  and  May,  1913. 

REVIEW    QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  was  the  origin  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association? 

2.  What  is  its  aim? 

3.  Mention  some  of  the  departments  of  its  work. 

4.  How  has  the  scope  of  its  work  broadened  out  in  recent  years? 

QUESTIONS    ON   THE   LESSON. 

1.  Why  did  the  formation  of  a  Young  Women's  Christian  Association 
lag  so  far  behind  the  Association  for  men? 


2.  When  and  where  was  the  first  Young  Women's  Christian  Association 
organized? 


3.  Describe  the  growth  of  the  Boston  Association 


4.  What  are  some  of  the  departments  of  its  work? 


244  The  Modern  Church  ^'""^ 

5.  Describe  more  particularly  the  Travelers'  Aid  department. 


6.  To  what  extent  has  this  movement  in  behalf  of  self-supporting  young 
women  grown? 


7.  What  particular  religious  work  is  carried  on  by  it? 


SUBJECTS  FOR   SPECIAL   STUDY  AND   NOTE-BOOK   WORK. 

1.  Is  there  a  Young  Women's  Christian  Association  in  your  neighbor- 
hood? 

2.  If  so,  what  is  its  membership  and  departments  of  work? 

3.  If  not,  why  not?     Do  these  reasons  justify  further  inactivity? 

4.  Reasons  why  the  Young  Women's  Christian  Association  of  America 
was  not  organized  until  1906. 

5.  The  work  of  the  Association  in  India,  China,  and  Japan. 

6.  How  the  more  extensive  entering  of  young  women  into  industrial 
and  business  life  affected  the  demand  for  a  Young  Women's  Christian 
Association. 

QUESTIONS  FOR   CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  How  can  Young  Women's  Christian  Associations  aid  Sunday  schools 
in  providing  better  teachers? 

2.  In  what  ways  can  the  local  churches  co-operate  with  the  Young 
Women's  and  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations? 

3.  In  your  town,  what  is  done  to  assist  young  women  to  find  employ- 
ment? What  is  done  to  protect  young  women  who  are  traveling?  Where 
can  a  strange  young  woman  find  low-priced  lodgings  that  are  certain  to 
be  free  from  evil  influences? 


Thirty-nine  xhe  Federation  of  Churches  245 

Lesson  39.    THE  FEDERATION   OF  CHURCHES. 

Scripture  Reading:  Jesus'  Prayer  for  Christian  Unity. 
John  17:  20-25. 

Note  1.  Rise  of  Independent  Christian  Churches,  and  the 
Reaction  against  Them.  The  Protestant  Reformation  in  the 
sixteenth  centiiry  broke  up  the  external  unity  which  had  ex- 
isted for  many  centuries.  By  making  the  Scriptures  the  final 
court  of  appeal  in  all  matters  of  faith  and  practice,  and  by 
allowing  a  large  measure  of  liberty  in  private  interpretation  of 
the  sacred  writings,  the  reformers  opened  the  way  for  the  de- 
velopment of  an  almost  endless  variety  of  opinions  and  for  the 
formation  of  so  many  different  Christian  bodies,  that  it  seemed 
as  if  Protestantism  was  suffering  a  hopeless  disintegration. 

During  the  last  generation  the  Protestant  world  has  experi- 
enced a  strong  reaction  in  favor  of  imity.  This  is  due  in  part 
to  a  recognition  of  the  following  facts :  first,  that  Christian  di- 
visions are  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  Him  who  prayed  that  his 
followers  "may  all  be  one";  second,  that  distmion  involves 
waste  of  money  and  of  men,  and  loss  of  influence  in  the  world; 
third,  that  the  trend  of  the  modem  world  is  away  from  indi- 
\^dualism  toward  co-operation  and  concentration;  fourth,  that 
many  of  the  issues  which  originated  the  present  divisions  are 
now  as  obsolete  as  the  Ptolemaic  theory  of  the  universe; and 
fifth,  that  the  right  of  the  church  to  exist  must  be  constantly 
redemonstrated  by  its  power  to  meet  the  conditions  of  the 
present. 

Note  2.    The  Present  Tendency  toward  Closer  Relations. 

The  new  concern  for  imity  has  been  manifested  chiefly  among 
Protestant  communions.  Most  of  these  hold  what  are  com- 
monly regarded  as  the  ftmdamental  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  such 
as  the  true  Godhead  and  manhood  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  sinful 
condition  of  man,  Christ's  atonement  for  sin,  salvation  b}^  faith 
and  not  by  works,  and  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  points  wherein  they  differ  are  chiefly  var3dng 
interpretations  of  these  doctrines,  and  matters  of  ritual  and 
church  government.  One  trouble  has  been  that  churches  have 
not  been  able  to  agree  on  what  things  are  essential. 

Furthermore,  unity  and  union  are  not  synon^nnous.  A  full 
unity  is  obviously  not  compatible  with  outward  separation  and 
di\'ision.  Church  union  implies  the  surrender  by  one  or  the 
other  of  the  uniting  parties  of  its  corporate  identity.    Accord- 


246  The  Modern  Church '  Lesson 

ingly,  it  is  a  consummation  that  seems  as  yet  somewhat  remote 
except  in  the  case  of  denominations  so  closely  related  that  no 
important  differences  remain.  "  In  Scotland  seven  Presby- 
terian bodies  have  been  reduced  to  three.  In  England  the 
separate  Presbyterian  bodies  became  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
England  in  1876.  In  the  United  States  the  Cimiberland 
Presbyterians  have  recently  returned  to  the  parent  body.  In 
Canada  the  many  Presbyterian  bodies  became  in  1875  the 
Presb3^erian  Church  of  Canada.  Since  1873  the  six  Canadian 
Methodist  churches  have  formed  the  Methodist  Church  of 
Canada.  In  Australia  and  New  Zealand  the  Methodist  divi- 
sions have  achieved  union  since  1900.  In  Germany  the  Luther- 
ans and  the  Reformed  have  been  united  "  (Charles  Sumner 
Nash  in  *'  Recent  Christian  Progress  ").  Within  a  few  years 
organic  tmion  has  been  consummated  in  this  country  between 
Baptists  and  Free  Baptists.  We  cannot  wonder  that  whole 
denominations  are  reluctant  to  lose  their  identity  by  merging 
with  some  other  denominations,  when  we  remember  that  some- 
times two  or  more  local  churches  of  the  same  denomination  are 
struggling  to  keep  up  a  separate  existence  in  a  community  when 
by  uniting  they  could  do  their  work  far  more  easily  and  effi- 
ciently. But,  notwithstanding  the  powerful  hold  of  religious 
conservatism  and  denominational  sentiment  and  pride,  the 
movement  for  the  consolidation  of  closely  related  church  bodies 
is  constantly  gaining  strength. 

Note  3.    Federation  of  Protestant  Churches.    The  way  for 

federation  among  Protestants  has  been  gradually  prepared  by 
an  increasing  realization  of  the  fact  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  is 
to  be  established  in  this  world,  that  this  world,  therefore,  is  the 
subject  of  redemption,  and  that  the  work  of  redemption  rests 
upon  the  church.  But  this  redemption  of  society  is  too  large 
a  task  for  any  denomination  to  imdertake  single-handed.  If 
achieved  at  all,  it  must  be  by  imited  effort.  It  is  a  work,  more- 
over, that  requires  no  sacrifice  of  religious  convictions.  There 
is  nothing  sectarian  about  the  necessity  of  appl3dng  Christian 
principles  to  the  acquisition  and  distribution  of  wealth;  about 
rational  treatment  of  immigrants;  about  movements  for  the 
suppression  of  social  injustice,  child-labor,  overworking  of 
women,  saloons,  disease,  poverty,  vice  and  crime;  nor  about 
efforts  to  promote  arbitration  instead  of  war  in  settling  in- 
dustrial as  well  as  national  disputes. 


Thirty-nine  j^i^  Federation  of  Churches    '  247 

A  beginning  of  church  federation  for  the  purpose  of  united 
work  along  all  such  lines  has  already  been  made.  In  December, 
1905,  five  hundred  officially  appointed  delegates  of  thirty  Prot- 
estant denominations  met  in  Carnegie  Hall,  New  York  City, 
and  recommended  a  Plan  of  Federation,  w^hich  has  since  then 
been  adopted  by  thirty-two  denominations  representing  about 
seventeen  millions  of  church  members.  These  include  all  the 
largest  bodies,  such  as  Methodists,  Baptists,  Presbyterians, 
Congregationalists  and  Episcopalians.  The  last  are  unoffi- 
cially represented.  While  refusing  to  recognize  the  vaHdity  of 
the  ordination  of  Protestant  ministers,  they  are  nevertheless 
foremost  in  promoting  co-operation  along  lines  that  do  not 
trench  on  their  sacerdotal  claims.  According  to  the  Plan  of 
Federation  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America  was  organized  in  Philadelphia  in  December,  1908.  The 
object  of  this  Council  is:  ''  (1)  To  express  the  fellowship  and 
catholic  imity  of  the  Christian  church.  (2)  To  bring  the 
Christian  bodies  in  America  into  imited  service  for  Christ  and 
the  world.  (3)  To  encourage  devotional  fellowship  and  mutual 
coimsel  concerning  the  spiritual  life  and  religious  activities  of 
the  Churches.  (4)  To  secure  a  larger  combined  influence  for  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  aU  matters  affecting  the  moral  and  social 
condition  of  the  people,  so  as  to  promote  the  law  of  Christ  in 
every]  relation  in  human  life.  (5)  To  assist  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  local  branches  of  the  Federal  Coimcil  to  promote  its  aims 
in  their  communities." 

The  Council  meets  every  four  years,  but  may  be  called  to- 
gether oftener.  The  last  meeting  was  held  in  Chicago,  Decem- 
ber 4-9,  1912.  The  Coimcil  is  the  embodiment  of  an  alliance 
whereby  the  forces  for  good,  whose  power  has  been  wasted  by 
disunion,  may  be  marshalled  in  opposition  to  the  forces  of  evil 
that  have  seemed  irresistible  only  because  they  were  imited. 

*'  The  practical  character  of  the  w^ork  of  the  Coimcil  is  indi- 
cated by  two  subjects  on  which  it  took  action.  One  concerned 
preparations  for  dealing  wdth  the  inflow  of  immigrants  that  is 
expected  upon  the  opening  of  the  Panama  Canal ;  the  other  con- 
cerned the  world-wide  war  upon  one  of  the  worst  and  most 
disabling  plagues  kno^^vTi  to  man  —  the  hookworm.  Fifteen 
or  twenty  years  ago  the  effect  of  a  wide-spread  parasite  upon  the 
human  race,  or  the  social  consequences  of  the  opening  of  a  great 
waterway,  would  hardly  have  been  accepted  by  the  churches  as 
coming  within  their  sphere." 


248  The  Modern  Church  ^^"°« 

Note  4.  The  Outlook  for  the  Future.  While  the  prospect 
of  organic  union  between  the  leading  Protestant  communions 
seems  as  yet  somewhat  remote,  much  has  been  gained  in  recent 
years.  The  churches  are  coming  closer  together,  they  are  learn- 
ing to  regard  themselves  as  separate  wings  of  God's  great  army, 
and  they  are  training  their  guns  on  the  common  enemy  instead 
of  firing  into  one  another's  lines.  We  see  a  larger  emphasis  on 
the  great  truths  held  in  common,  and  a  rapidly  diminishing 
emphasis  on  unimportant  differences.  Naturally  sectarian 
controversies  and  jealousies  are  fading  away.  With  a  clearer 
understanding  of  one  another's  position,  with  patience,  charity 
and  prayer,  we  may  hope  that  there  will  be  such  a  realization 
of  the  essential  oneness  of  the  Christian  Churches  of  America  in 
Jesus  Christ  as  will  permit  them  to  reap  all  the  advantages  of 
organic  union  without  experiencing  its  possible  perils. 

The  greatest  progress  in  the  line  of  co-operation  has  been  made 
on  the  foreign  mission  fields.  There  the  absm-dity  of  perpetuat- 
ing divisions  originally  brought  about  in  the  homeland  by  con- 
ditions that  long  ago  ceased  to  exist  has  been  keenly  felt.  Such 
divisions  are  not  only  meaningless  to  the  Orientals,  but  a 
positive  hindrance  to  the  success  of  missions,  and  in  some  cases 
an  unpardonable  waste  of  resources.  In  China,  especially,  the 
native  Christians  are  more  outspoken  in  favor  of  tmion  than  the 
missionaries.  One  missionary  said  recently:  "  If  the  Western 
churches  do  not  look  out,  the  Eastern  sheep  will  all  be  in  one 
fold."  In  the  meantime  union  in  educational  and  medical  work 
has  already  been  undertaken  in  several  places  mth  happy  re- 
sults. It  would  not  be  surprising  if  in  the  near  future  condi- 
tions on  the  foreign  fields  should  become  a  powerful  factor  in 
breaking  down  denominational  differences  at  home 

Note  5.  Signs  of  the  Coming  Dawn.  (1)  One  of  the  most 
important  movements  in  the  interests  of  reunion  among  Chris- 
tains  is  the  proposed  World  Conference  for  the  consideration  of 
questions  of  Faith  and  Order. 

This  movement  does  not  contemplate  the  immediate  reunion 
of  the  different  Christian  commimions,  which  would  be 
manifestly  impossible.  It  proposes  that  as  a  first  step  on  the 
way  towards  ultimate  imion  a  great  Conference  shall  be  held  to 
be  participated  in  by  representatives  of  all  Christian  com- 
munions throughout  the  world  which  confess  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  God  and  Saviour. 


Thirty-nine  jj^^  Federation  of  Churches  249 

It  is  proposed  (a)  that  the  Conference  shall  include  representa- 
tives of  the  whole  Christian  world,  both  Catholic  and  Prot- 
estant; (6)  that  its  purjDose  shall  be  to  consider  frankly,  but 
ia  the  spirit  of  charity  and  love,  those  things  which  now  separate 
or  seem  to  separate  Christians  one  from  another  in  the  belief  that 
such  consideration  will  result  in  showing  that  some  of  the  differ- 
ences are  not  so  great  as  they  had  seemed  to  be,  and  in  removing 
others  entirely;  {c)  that  the  Conference  shall  be  only  for  mutual 
study  and  discussion,  with  no  power  to  legislate  or  to  adopt 
resolutions,  so  that  no  commimion  can  be  compromised  or  com- 
mitted by  those  who  represent  it  at  the  Conference.  That  it 
shall  meet  in  the  hope  and  with  the  prayer  that  such  brotherly 
conference  may  prove  to  be  a  first  step  on  the  way  towards  the 
fulfillment  of  our  Lord's  own  prayer  —  "  That  they  all  may  be 
one." 

This  movement  was  inaugurated  by  the  Episcopal  Church 
at  the  General  Convention  held  in  1910.  Thirty-five  of  the 
most  imxportant  rcHgious  commiuiions  have  already  officially 
identified  themselves  with  the  movement  by  appointing  com- 
missions or  committees  to  act  for  them  and  to  co-operate  in  the 
undertaking.  Friendly  assurances  of  interest  have  been  re- 
ceived from  dignitaries  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  and  of 
the  Eastern  churches. 

{2)  The  recent  attempt  in  Russia  to  fix  on  an  obscure  Jew 
the  guilt  of  "  ritual  murder  "  for  the  obvious  purpose  of  incit- 
ing the  ignorant  multitudes  to  an  attack  on  the  race  failed,  not 
so  much  for  lack  of  evidence  perhaps,  because  of  the  indignant 
protest  of  the  civilized  would.  This  protest  evoked  from  a 
great  secular  newspaper  in  this  cotmtry  the  following  comment : 
"When  Protestant  and  Catholic  clergymen,  priests  and  pre- 
lates unite  in  an  appeal  to  a  powerful  government  for  justice  to 
Jews  and  in  defense  of  the  Jewish  reHgion  against  an  ancient 
slander,  the  fact  gives  proof  of  the  obliteration. of  sectarian  lines 
and  the  decay  of  bigotry.  This  is  the  Christian  spirit  in  its  best 
exempHfication.  It  shows  that  behind  differences  of  creed  and 
ritual  the  churches  are  at  one  on  the  essential  doctrine  of  himian 
justice,  and  it  reveals  a  tolerance  which  affords  rare  evidence  of 
the  extinction  of  old  animosities."  To  this  every  one  who  has 
the  welfare  of  humanity,  the  promotion  of  righteousness,  and  the 
coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God  at  heart  will  give  unqualified 
assent.  While  at  the  present  time  there  are  many  who  beHeve 
that  the   differences  between   Catholics  and  Protestants  are 


250  The  Modern  Church  ^««o« 

irreconcilable,  it  seems  possible  that  at  some  future  day  a 
social  crisis  may  arise,  or  a  question  of  human  justice  similar  to 
the  above,  of  such  nature  and  magnitude  as  to  bring  these  great 
divisions  together  into  a  federation  that  may  ultimately  lead  to 
an  even  closer  union. 


ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Lorimer:  Christianity  in  the  Nineteenth  Century,  pp.  407-454.  {2) 
Fosdick:  "  Reuniting  the  Church,"  in  North  American  Review,  May,  1913. 
(5)  Abbott:  "  A  Combination  in  ReHgion,"  in  the  Outlook,  Dec.  21,  1912. 
(4)  "Christian  Unity,"  in  Atlantic  Monthly,  May,  1913.  ip)  "Toward 
Christian  Unity,"  in  the  Outlook,  May  31,  1913.  {6)  See  articles  in  Liter- 
ary Digest,  Dec.  14,  21,  28,  1912;  Feb.  1,  15,  1913;  March  29,  1913. 


REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  How  did  the  Young  Woman's  Christian  Association  originate? 

2.  Mention  some  lines  of  work  done  by  the  Boston  Association. 

3.  Describe  the  growth  of  the  organization. 

4.  How  is  it  related  to  religious  work  among  young  women  in  college? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  How  did  the  present  Protestant  denominations  arise? 


2.  Why  is  there  at  present  a  reaction  against  having  so  many  denomina- 
tions? 


3.  How  do  the  doctrinal  beliefs  of  Protestants  favor  closer  relations? 


4.  Should  not  the  inner  unity  of  the  spirit  find  its  true  expression  in  out- 
ward union  and  fellowship? 


Thiriy-nine  ^he  Federation  of  Churches  251 

5.  What  avenue  toward  closer  church  relations  is  open  to  Protestants? 

6.  How  have  Protestant  churches  been  prepared  for  federation? 


7.  Describe  briefly  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America. 


8.  What  is  the  outlook  for  church  unity  among  Protestants? 


9.  How  is  this  outlook  being  influenced  by  conditions  on  foreign  mis- 
sion fields? 


10.  Mention  some  signs  of  a  growing  disposition  on  the  part  of  Chris- 
tians of  all  names  to  come  together. 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  work  in  your  own  community  are  the  churches  doing  in  common? 

2.  What  other  work  do  you  see  that  needs  to  be  done,  and  that  can  be 
accomplished  most  effectually  by  co-operation? 

3.  Are  there  weak  churches  in  your  community  that  might  be  better  off 
by  imiting?     If  so,  why  don't  they  unite? 

4.  To  what  extent  have  Christian  Endeavor  Societies,  Yotmg  Men's 
Christian  Associations,  Church  Brotherhoods,  and  other  interdenomi- 
national organizations  promoted  a  better  understanding  between  the 
churches? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Has  the  denomination  with  which  you  are  affiliated  any  distinctive 
mission  to  perform  that  could  not  equally  well  be  performed  if  it  should 


252  The  Modern  Church 

unite  with  some  other  closely  related  communion?     In  a  word,  why  does 
it  maintain  a  separate  existence? 

2.  If  you  have  reasons  for  a  separate  existence,  what  would  you  be  will- 
ing to  sacrifice  for  church  unity? 

3.  To  what  extent  is  co-operation  possible  between  the  so-called  evangeli- 
cal churches  and  other  denominations,  such  as  the  Unitarians? 


The  Modern  Church 


Lesson  40.    HOW  THE   MODERN   INDUSTRIAL 
PROBLEM   AROSE. 

Scripture  Reading:  Social  Crises  Caused  by  Oppression  of  the  Poor. 

Amos  8:  4-10. 

Note  1.  A  Typical  Shoe  Shop  in  1850.  One  of  the  leading 
industries  in  Massachusetts  is  the  manufacture  of  boots  and 
shoes.  A  visitor  to  one  of  the  towns  or  cities  famous  for  the 
extent  of  this  industry  is  impressed  by  the  number,  and  in  some 
cases  the  vast  size  of  the  factories.  The  employees  range  in 
number  from  a  hundred  or  more  to  several  thousand.  If  his 
guide  should  be  one  of  the  oldest  inhabitants,  the  chances  are 
that  he  will  point  out  here  or  there  some  little  one-storied  shop, 
ten  to  fifteen  feet  square,  where  the  founder  of  one  of  these 
immense  factories  conducted  his  business  about  the  middle  of 
the  last  century.  He  employed  six  or  seven  skilled  shoemakers 
and  two  or  three  apprentices,  as  many  as  the  little  room  could 
hold.  Each  one  of  the  former  class  was  competent  to  make  a 
boot  or  a  shoe  from  start  to  finish .  Every  week  the  boss,  who 
was  also  the  owner  of  the  modest  plant,  drove  to  the  nieghbor- 
ing  market  with  a  load  of  cases  filled  with  the  finished  products, 
and  brought  back  a  load  of  raw  material.  All  the  work  was 
done  by  hand,  or  at  best  with  the  aid  of  one  or  two  simple 
machines  run  by  foot  power.  The  boss  and  his  workmen  were 
social  equals,  who  wrought  elbow  to  elbow  on  terms  of  good 
fellowship.  Each  knew  all  about  the  others'  affairs.  Each 
was  quick  to  sympathize  in  the  joys  or  sorrows  of  his  fellows. 
The  capital  invested  in  the  entire  plant  was  so  trifling  that  any 
one  of  the  workmen  with  a  little  ambition  might  easily  aspire  to 
become  the  owner  of  a  similar  shop. 

Note  2.  A  Typical  Shoe  Factory  Today.  Should  the  visitor 
feel  inclined  to  walk  through  the  modem  factory  that  by  rapid 
strides  has  evolved  from  this  primitive  shop,  he  will  apply  for 
permission  at  a  handsomely  furnished  suite  of  offices,  where, 
if  visitors  are  admitted  at  all,  an  official  will  assign  him  to  the 
gtddance  of  a  yoimg  man  who  escorts  him  through  the  numerous 

253 


254  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^"'^ 

departments,  for  the  industry  is  most  minutely  divided  and 
subdivided.  The  two  or  three  thousand  employees  are  shoe- 
makers no  longer,  but  cutters,  lasters,  vampers,  stitchers,  heel- 
ers, and  other  experts  at  one  or  another  of  the  more  than  a 
hundred  distinct  operations  that  enter  into  the  making  of  a 
modem  shoe.  Few,  if  any,  of  these  employees  could  make  an 
entire  shoe.  Handwork  has  been  almost  entirely  eliminated. 
Thousands  of  complicated  machines  that  work  with  a  rapidity 
and  accuracy  unapproachable  by  the  human  hand  whirr  and 
buzz  on  every  side,  and  to  each  one  is  attached  a  human  ma- 
chine that  from  morning  till  night,  year  in  and  year  out,  assists 
the  other  machine  in  performing  its  minute  detail  in  the  com- 
plex aggregate.  Instead  of  the  old  comradeship,  the  employees 
in  every  department  are  organized  into  a  "  Union  "  for  self- 
defense.  Against  whom?  Not  merely  against  the  individual 
owner  of  this  plant,  who  in  private  life  may  be  a  very  benevolent 
person,  but  whom  they  seldom  see,  with  whom  only  the  depart- 
ment bosses  are  acquainted,  and  who  belongs  to  a  wholly  differ- 
ent social  class  from  themselves.  It  is  as  much  against  this 
class  as  against  its  individual  representative  that  the  combi- 
nation is  formed.  It  is  labor  against  capital,  capital  that  is 
clothed  with  almost  imlimited  power  for  oppression,  and  from 
which  concessions  of  right  and  justice  are  seldom  won  except  at 
the  cost  of  industrial  war  or  fear  of  it.  When  the  factory  is 
owned  by  an  impersonal  corporation  whose  chief  interest  is  to 
enlarge  dividends  by  keeping  wages  at  the  lowest  point  possible, 
the  position  of  the  workinen  tends  to  become  still  more  difficult. 

Note  3.  How  the  Industrial  Revolution  was  Brought 
About.  The  preceding  sketches  of  the  primitive  shoe  shop  and 
the  modem  factory  have  been  given  at  considerable  length 
because  they  illustrate  the  changes  that  have  taken  place  in 
almost  every  industry  during  the  past  century.  Until  1767 
practically  all  manufacturing  was  done  by  muscular  power. 
The  word  "  manufacturing  "  still  retained  its  etymological 
meaning  of  "  making  by  hand."  A  man's  workmen  were 
spoken  of  as  his  "  manufacturers."  Processes  were  slow  and 
laborious,  and  so  likewise  was  transportation.  Roads  were  im- 
speakably  bad.  Goods  when  finished  could  not  be  carried 
beyond  the  nearest  markets.  The  output  was  small  because 
the  demand  was  limited. 

When  James  Watt  invented  the  steam  engine  in  1767  he 
could  not  in  his  wildest  dreams  have  foreseen  that  he  was  intro- 


Porty  Hq^  iiiQ  Modern  Industrial  Problem  Arose  255 

ducing  an  agency  that  would  revolutionize  the  industrial  sys- 
tem of  the  world  and  that  would  change  the  whole  course  of 
modem  civilization.  Before  that,  man  had  been  content  to 
depend  on  the  pimy  strength  of  his  own  arm,  or  to  put  a  yoke 
on  an  ox  or  a  harness  on  a  horse.  The  steam  engine  was  one 
of  the  greatest  steps  in  harnessing  up  the  inexhaustible  powers 
of  nature  as  agents  for  doing  his  work.  The  significance  of  this 
invention  was  not  understood  at  first,  and  probably  it  is  not 
fully  understood  yet.  But  as  soon  as  men  came  to  see  what  a 
tremendous  power  had  been  made  available  by  the  steam  engine, 
its  application  to  industrial  operations  went  on  with  increasing 
swiftness,  until  now  scarcely  a  line  of  production  or  manufacture 
is  independent  of  it. 

This  control  of  power  stimulated  at  the  same  time  the  inven- 
tion of  a  great  variety  of  labor-saving  machines.  The  immedi- 
ate result  has  been  an  enormous  increase  in  production.  It  is 
estimated  that  in  modem  cotton  mills  one  person  produces  as 
much  as  three  hundred  and  twenty  did  in  1769.  All  this  in- 
creased capacity  for  production  would  have  been  useless  had 
there  not  been  a  corresponding  increase  in  facilities  for  distribu- 
tion. Manufacturers  will  not  make  more  than  they  can  sell. 
Almost  as  important  as  the  invention  of  the  steam  engine  has 
been  its  appHcation  to  transportation  by  railways  and  steam- 
ships. These  have  extended  the  range  of  consumption  from 
the  manufacturer's  immediate  vicinity  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
Other  causes  have  contributed  in.  bringing  about  these  revolu- 
tionary changes  but  these  are  the  chief. 

Note  4.  The  Nature  of  the  Industrial  Problem.  The  social 
and  industrial  conditions  which  the  industrial  revolution  has 
entailed  are  many  and  far-reaching.  The  problems  to  which 
they  give  rise  are  complex  and  ominous.  Some  of  the  more 
obvious  of  these  conditions  are  the  following : 

{!)  Enormous  Increase  of  Wealth.  The  vast  expansion  of 
industrial  production  has  resulted  in  a  corresponding  increase 
m  material  wealth. 

{2)  Disproportionate  Distribution  of  Wealth,  By  far  the 
greater  part  of  this  wealth  has  passed  into  the  possession  of  a 
small  fraction  of  the  popidation.  A  few  have  accvimulated 
fortunes  ranging  from  five  or  ten  millions  to  several  hundred 
millions.  The  great  majority,  on  the  contrary,  have  a  hard 
struggle  for  existence.  Under  the  old  system  the  far  smaller 
aggregate  of  wealth  was  more  evenly  distributed.     Hence  there 


256  The  Modern  Church  ^"^'"^ 

was  a  more  general  distribution  of  comforts,  and  poverty  was 
not  so  common  nor  extreme.  Now  with  the  vast  increase  in 
wealth,  there  is  a  corresponding  contrast  between  poverty  and 
wealth,  with  consequent  discontent. 

{3)  The  Rise  of  Hostile  Social  Classes,  The  past  half  century 
has  witnessed  the  building  up  in  our  coimtry  of  social  classes 
whose  rank  is  often  determined  by  money  considerations. 
Those  who  have  no  means,  acquired  or  inherited,  naturally  fall 
into  the  lower  classes.  A  free  American  citizen  who  feels  him- 
self as  worthy  of  respect  as  the  next  man  resents  social  degrada- 
tion merely  because  he  works  for  a  living.  He  sees  others  no 
better  than  himself  by  birth  or  brains  squandering  fortunes  on 
luxuries,  and  refusing  to  notice  him  because  he  is  only  a  *'  hand  " 
in  a  mill  or  factory.  The  result  is  bitter  class  alienations  and 
hatreds. 

{J})  Dissatisfaction  with  the  Wage  System.  There  is  a  growing 
conviction  among  laborers  that  under  the  present  system  of 
wages  fixed  by  the  market  price  of  labor,  they  do  not  get  an 
equitable  share  of  the  profits. 

{5)  Monopolies.  Employers,  after  experiencing  the  evils  of 
imlimited  coanpetition,  have  found  it  to  their  advantage  to 
combine  to  reduce  costs  and  to  increase  profits.  Monopolies 
are  such  combinations  carried  to  a  point  where  they  are  no  longer 
limited  by  competition  in  dictating  prices  to  the  consimier  or 
terms  to  their  employees. 

{6)  Labor  Organizations,  or  Trades  Unions.  As  employers 
combine  to  protect  their  own  interests,  so  do  the  employees. 
It  is  their  only  means  of  self -protection  against  the  combined 
power  of  capital. 

(7)  Industrial  Wars.  To  secure  the  righting  of  alleged 
wrongs,  the  laborers  resort  to  strikes.  Sometimes  a  thousand  of 
these  more  or  less  fierce  industrial  conflicts  have  been  precipi- 
tated in  our  own  country  in  a  single  year,  and  they  have  re- 
sulted in  losses  of  millions  of  dollars  to  each  party. 

{8)  Irresponsible  Agitators.  The  deep  dissatisfaction  of  the 
laboring  classes  with  the  present  industrial  system  has  led  them 
in  great  ntmibers  to  give  ready  ear  to  professional  agitators  and 
charlatans  who  advocate  the  use  of  violence  and  a  complete 
overturning  of  the  present  economic  and  social  order. 

These  conditions,  combined  with  a  multitude  of  others,  are 
sufficiently  grave  to  have  led  many  thoughtful  men  to  fear  that 
the  civilized  world  is  approaching  the  most  momentous  crisis 
in  the  history  of  mankind.     There  are  others  who  see  with 


Forty  How  the  Modem  Industrial  Problem  Arose  257 

equal  clearness  the  gravity  of  the  crisis,  and  yet  are  hopeful  of  a 
favorable  outcome,  because  they  see  increasing  signs  of  better 
things.  The  only  certainty  is  that  our  age  is  in  the  midst  of  a 
momentous  transition,  and  that  nobody  knows  precisely  whither 
we  are  going  or  what  the  new  order  will  be. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Ely:  Outlifies  of  Economics,  pp.  14-62.  (2)  Plantz;  The  Church 
and  the  Social  Problem,  pp.  1-72.  {3)  Wells:  Recent  Economic  Changes, 
pp.  27-69. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Describe  a  typical  shoeshop  in  1850. 


2.  What  were  the  relations  of  the  workmen  one  to  another  and  to  the 
boss? 


3.  How  does  a  modern  shoe  factory  differ  from  the  old  shoe  shop: 


4.  Mention  some  of  the  chief  changes  that  have  taken  place. 


5.  What  was  the  industrial  situation  prior  to  1767? 


6.  How  was  this  situation  affected  by  the  invention  of  the  steam  engine? 


7.  How  does  the  increase  of  wealth  help  to  produce  an  industrial  prob- 
lem? 


8.  Why  are  the  laboring  classes  deeply  dissatisfied  with  the  present 
industrial  system? 


25S  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°" 

9.  How  ha\  e  laborers  tried  to  protect  themselves  against  the  oppression 
of  capital? 


10.  How  has  the  industrial  problem  been  made  unnecessarily  acute? 


11.  What  is  the  outlook  for  the  future? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  large  a  proportion  of  the  country's  wealth  is  in  the  hands  of  a 
few  persons?  References  should  be  given;  e.g.:  See  John  Graham  Brooks: 
The  Social  Unrest,  pp.  162-164;  Carroll  D.  Wright:  Practical  Sociology, 
pp.  312,  313;  Josiah  Strong:  Social    Year  Book  for  1904,  PP-  70-73. 

2.  Can  a  man  earn  a  milHon  dollars? 

3.  How  does  the  selfishness  and  extravagance  of  many  rich  people  affect 
those  who  are  compelled  to  struggle  for  a  bare  existence? 

QUESTION  FOR  DISCUSSION. 

Is  it  true  that  the  rich  are  constantly  growing  richer  and  the  poor  poorer? 


Lesson  41.    THE   CHRISTIAN   IDEAL   OF   SOCIETY. 

Scripture  Reading:  A  Primitive  Christian  Ideal.     Acts  4:32-35. 

Note  1.  The  Early  Christian  Ideal.  The  mission  of  Jesus 
Christ  culminated  in  his  teachings  respecting  the  fatherhood 
of  God  and  the  brotherhood  of  man.  But  fatherhood  and 
brotherhood  in  their  highest  manifestations  rest  on  love.  Hence 
the  emphasis  which  Jesus  laid  on  love  as  the  supreme  rule  of 
life.  The  Twelve,  barring  Judas,  caught  the  spirit  of  the  Master 
in  respect  to  material  possessions,  for  they  had  a  common  purse 
(Luke  12:6;  13:29).  The  same  ideal  of  brotherliness  mani- 
fested itself  in  the  early  church  at  Jerusalem:  **  The  multitude 
of  them  that  believed  were  of  one  heart  and  soul;  and  not  one 
of  them  said  that  aught  of  the  things  which  he  possessed  was 
his  own;  but  they  had  all  things  common  "  (Acts  4:  32).  With 
one  tragic  exception,  the  spirit  of  love  banished  selfishness  and 


Forty-one  jj^^  Christian  Ideal  of  Society  259 

made  each  the  servant  of  all.  It  was  a  practical  attempt  to 
realize  the  Master's  ideal — the  apphcation  of  imiversal  love  to 
the  social  relations  of  mankind.  Very  soon,  however,  the 
church,  instead  of  living  and  thriving  on  this  law  of  love,  drifted 
away  from  it,  and  made  it  her  mission  to  save  men  for  a  future 
life.  What  was  the  use  of  trying  to  remedy  social  evils  in  a 
world  that  was  regarded  as  given  up  to  the  dominion  of  Satan, 
a  Idngdom  of  darkness,  in  which  each  "  pilgrim  "  and  "  stranger" 
could  "  tarry  but  a  night  "?  The  church,  instead  of  trying  to 
solve  the  social  problem,  sought  refuge  from  it  in  a  celestial 
world. 

Note  2.  The  Social  Problem  Not  Modem.  The  struggle 
for  social  betterment  goes  back  to  the  beginnings  of  social 
organization.  The  direct  cause  of  the  ruin  of  the  Greek  cities 
was  the  civil  wars  caused  by  the  poor  trying  to  despoil  the  rich, 
and  the  rich  resisting  by  every  means  within  their  power. 
Rome  tried  to  prevent  sanguinary  revolutions  by  subjecting 
industry  to  the  burden  of  feeding  and  amusing  an  idle  and 
turbulent  population,  and  perished  in  the  attempt.  The 
brotherhoods  and  guilds  of  the  Middle  Ages  were  organized  to 
protect  social  rights.  The  Reformation  was  a  rising  of  the 
people  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  papal  despotism  and  to  enjoy 
a  greater  freedom  in  faith  and  Hfe.  The  spirit  that  rose  against 
the  pope  was  sure  to  rise  against  the  king.  Cromwell's  com- 
monwealth in  the  next  century  was  an  effort  to  achieve  in  the 
state  the  same  freedom  that  had  been  won  in  the  church. 
This  awakening  of  the  spirit  of  himian  liberty  naturally  led  to 
the  proclamation  of  human  equality  as  preached  by  Rousseau 
and  the  encyclopedists.  Certain  truths  were  declared  to  be 
self-evident.  The  American  Declaration  of  Independence  as- 
sumed "  that  all  men  are  created  equal,  that  they  are  endowed 
by  their  Creator  with  certain  inalienable  rights,  that  among 
these,  are  Life,  Liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  Happiness."  The 
violation  of  these  rights  by  England  was  held  to  justify  the 
American  Revolution.  In  France,  a  Httle  later,  it  precipitated 
the  French  Revolution.  Still  later,  in  our  own  coimtry,  came 
the  Civil  War  for  the  maintenance  of  a  ci\dlization  founded  on 
industrial  freedom  rather  than  slavery.  Every  one  of  these 
gigantic  struggles  was  provoked  by  an  assumed  divine  right  on ' 
the  part  of  a  fev^  to  oppress  and  enslave  the  masses,  by  an 
ignoring  of  the  divine  law  of  love,  and  by  a  trampling  on  the 
principle  of  himian  brotherhood. 


260  The  Modern  Church  ^"«o« 

Note  3.    Some  Proposed  Solutions  for  the  Social  Problem. 

The  conditions  which  have  occasioned  this  social  unrest  have 
also  led  to  the  suggestion  of  schemes  for  their  suppression. 
Plato  in  his  **  Republic  "  described  an  ideal  commimity  com- 
posed of  cultured,  well-to-do,  law-abiding,  and  self-governing 
people.  His  scheme  had  no  place  for  the  poor,  the  weak,  and 
the  ignorant  that  constitute  so  large  a  portion  of  the  himian  race. 
Sir  Thomas  More's  "  Utopia,"  described  an  island,  "  the  abode 
of  a  happy  society,  which,  in  virtue  of  its  wise  organization  and 
legislation,  is  free  from  the  harassing  cares,  inordinate  desires, 
and  customary  miseries  of  mankind."  Many  similar  Utopian 
schemes  have  been  propounded,  and  in  some  cases  put  into 
practical  but  short-lived  operation. 

Several  theories  of  social  reorganization  are  winning  more 
or  less  wide  acceptance  at  the  present  time.  The  most  popular 
is  socialism  in  various  forms.  Socialism  recognizes  primarily 
the  need  of  a  strong  central  authority  chosen  and  clothed  with 
power  by  the  people  themselves.  This  central  authority,  or 
government,  is  expected  so  to  control  the  chief  industries  and 
activities  of  the  people  as  to  secure  a  better  distribution  of  the 
fruits  of  labor,  and  also  a  better  production  as  a  consequence  of 
improved  living.  To  this  end  competition  must  give  place  to 
co-operation,  and  the  opportunities  of  life,  as  well  as  the  rewards 
of  labor,  must  be  equitably  proportioned.  When  the  power  of 
the  sovereign  state  is  employed  in  bringing  about  those  results 
we  have  state  socialism;  when  this  power  is  delegated  to  a 
mimicipality,  we  have  mtmicipal  socialism.  State  socialism 
will  ordinarily  limit  itself  to  the  control  or  ownership  of  in- 
dustries or  activities  that  concern  all  the  people,  such  as  post 
offices,  the  census,  coinage,  and  ultimately  railroads,  telegraphs, 
coal  mines,  and  many  other  interstate  monopolies  whose  extor- 
tions now  cause  general  distress.  Municipal  socialism,  when 
given  a  free  hand  by  State  legislatures,  sees  practically  no  limits 
to  the  local  activities  that  may  be  taken  over  by  the  community 
and  administered  for  pubHc  rather  than  private  gain.  While 
as  yet  the  great  mass  of  socialists  are  more  or  less  hostile  to  the 
church,  there  are  many  earnest  and  intelligent  Christians  who 
support  socialism  as  the  most  promising  method  for  getting  the 
will  of  Christ  done,  and  who  fail  to  see  how  Christians  can  accept 
as  the  ultimate  basis  of  industry  and  commerce  anything  short 
of  thorough  and  social  control  of  the  processes  of  production  and 
distribution. 

Other  movements  that  are   commonly  associated  with  the 


Foriy.one  jj^^  Christian  Ideal  of  Society  261 

term  socialism  are  anarchism  and  communism.  It  would 
greatly  promote  clearness  of  thought  if  these  three  were  always 
distinguished  by  their  proper  names.  In  popular  use  they  are 
often  confused.  Anarchists,  in  common  with  all  sociaHsts,  pro- 
pose the  conversion  of  the  enormous  gains  of  the  few  to  the 
benefit  of  all.  But  they  differ  from  sociaHsts  in  their  condemna- 
tion of  every  form  of  government  as  a  means  of  attaining  this 
end.  Anarchism  opposes  any  land  of  external  rule.  Its  ideal 
is  absolute  and  unfettered  individualism.  In  its  best  form  it 
claims  to  stand  for  a  society  in  which  order  prevails  through 
the  acquired  goodness  of  the  people  rather  than  through  law. 
Anarchists  point  to  the  fact  that  in  every  civilized  community 
the  majority  of  the  people  have  already  reached  what  they  call 
the  anarchic  stage  where  government  and  law  are  no  longer 
needed  to  enforce  honesty,  kindness,  purity,  helpfulness,  and 
scrupulous  regard  for  one  another's  rights,  and  where  external 
restraint  is  needed  only  for  the  minority  who  have  not  yet 
learned  to  restrain  themselves.  In  its  worst  form  anarchism 
stands  for  a  terroristic  opposition  to  the  entire  present  social 
order.  The  quickest  way  to  mend  it,  they  say,  is  to  end  it. 
The  greatest  evil  connected  with  the  anarchist  movement  is 
that  it  seems  to  be  controlled  by  extremists  who  see  no  way  of 
promoting  their  cause  but  by  violence. 

Communism  proposes  that  all  property  shall  be  held  as  a 
common  trust,  and  that  the  profits  of  every  one's  labor  shall  be 
devoted  to  the  good  of  aU.  In  extreme  cases  it  advocates 
"  absolute  control  by  the  community  in  all  matters  pertaining 
to  labor,  religion,  and  social  relations,"  even  to  the  abolition  of 
the  family.  Charles  Nordhoff  described  in  1875  seventy- two 
commtmistic  societies  that  had  accumulated  $12,000,000  of 
property,  an  average  of  $2000  for  every  man,  woman,  and  child. 
This  was  done  with  less  of  painful  toil,  more  comfort,  bettei 
insurance  against  want  and  demoralization,  a  higher  and  pleas- 
anter  life  than  in  the  outside  world.  This  demand  that  all 
wealth  shall  be  held  in  common  constitutes  the  essential  differ- 
ence between  communists  on  the  one  hand  and  socialists  and 
anarchists  on  the  other. 

Among  the  remedies  proposed  for  the  social  evils  of  our  time 
the  single  tax  is  the  simplest  and  most  concrete.  Henry 
George's  **  Progress  and  Poverty  "  is  the  classic  discussion  of 
this  reform.  In  it  he  traces  the  want  and  suffering  that  ever\^- 
where  prevail  among  the  working  classes,  and  that  show  them- 
selves more  and  more  vStrongly  as  material  progress  goes  on,  to 


262  The  Modern  Church  ^"^o« 

the  fact  that  the  land  on  which  and  from  which  all  must  live  is 
made  the  exclusive  property  of  some.  As  the  only  possible 
remedy  for  these  evils  he  proposes  to  abolish  all  taxation  except 
upon  land.  He  teaches  that  no  taxes  should  be  placed  on  im- 
provements or  on  the  products  of  labor,  since  such  taxes  tend 
to  discourage  improvements  and  to  restrict  production.  The 
single  tax  reform  attacks  only  the  monopolization  of  land,  but 
does  not  directly  attack  the  monopolization  of  industries  by 
capital.     Socialism  in  all  its  forms  attacks  both. 

A  more  equitable  distribution  of  the  fruits  of  labor  is  pro- 
posed in  various  schemes  of  profit  sharing.  Wide  attention  has 
been  called  to  this  method  by  the  action  of  the  Ford  Motor 
Company  of  Detroit  in  distributing  among  its  employees  ten 
million  dollars  of  its  estimated  earnings  for  1914.  While  on 
the  one  hand  this  act  has  been  hailed  as  a  sign  of  the  approach- 
ing millennium,  it  has  also  given  rise  to  some  searching  ques- 
tions. Is  profit  sharing  in  this  case,  or  in  any  case,  a  mere 
charity  toward  those  who  have  not  earned  this  increase,  or  is 
it  an  act  of  justice  in  not  withholding  from  those  who  receive  it 
what  they  have  really  earned?  If  the  workman  has  earned  a 
share  in  the  profits,  why  should  his  receiving  it  depend  on  the 
good  will  of  the  employer?  The  present  industrial  imrest  and 
the  rapid  growth  of  socialism  are  due  to  the  demand  by  the 
working  classes,  not  for  charity,  but  for  justice. 

The  Christian  Ideal  of  Society.  Religion  has  long  been  re- 
garded as  a  thing  largely  apart  from  secular  life.  For  centuries 
the  church  has  been  trying  to  save  men  for  a  future  life,  and 
in  so  doing  she  has  overlooked  the  importance  of  saving  them 
for  this  life  also,  of  saving  them  from  selfishness  and  for  service. 
The  objective  aim  of  the  church  has  been  the  individual  and  not 
society.  Why  should  time  and  strength  be  wasted  in  ameliorat- 
ing present  discomforts  when  it  might  so  much  better  be  em- 
ployed in  rescuing  men,  like  brands  from  the  burning,  for 
eternal  felicity?  Why  try  to  improve  a  social  system  that  may 
end  at  any  moment  in  a  world  judgment  ?  So  far  has  this  false 
presentation  of  Christianity  gone,  this  misuse  of  the  hopes  and 
terrors  of  a  future  life,  as  to  lead  a  French  minister  of  education 
and  public  worship  to  say  with  a  good  array  of  proofs,  that 
*'  the  further  men  are  from  religion,  the  nearer  they  are  to 
morality  and  good  sense."  The  alienation  of  the  working 
people  from  the  church  is  largely  owing  to  her  lack  of  interest 


Forty-one  j}^  Christian  Ideal  of  Society  263 

in  the  acute  social  problems  to  which  the  industrial  conditions 
of  our  time  has  given  rise. 

Happily  the  churches  are  rapidly  coming  to  realize  that 
Christianity  means  social  redemption  for  this  world  as  well  as 
personal  salvation  in  a  world  to  come.  True  religion  is  not  a 
thing  apart  from  the  common  life  of  men,  but  its  most  powerful 
factor.  The  old  heresy  that  "  business  is  business,"  a  cold- 
blooded regard  for  profits,  is  being  outgrown  not  only  within 
the  church,  but  in  the  world  outside.  Everywhere  men  are 
perceiving  that  sympathy,  mercy,  justice,  faith,  hope,  love, 
have  a  great  deal  to  do  with  trade,  commerce,  industry,  finance. 
Instead  of  talking  about  religion  and  business,  men  are  beginning 
to  talk  about  religion  in  business,  and,  if  in  business,  then  in 
the  entire  social  and  industrial  order.  Every  awakening  of 
the  public  conscience  that  leads  to  a  recognition  of  new  duties, 
to  a  demand  for  better  justice,  to  the  practice  of  a  larger  brother- 
hood, is  a  religious  movement,  whether  it  takes  place  with 
the  aid  of  the  chiu-ch  or  without  it.  Christianity  is  essentially 
social.  It  means  living  for  others  as  well  as  for  self.  No  man 
can  realize  a  complete  personal  redemption  in  an  imredeemed 
environment.  We  must  help  to  save  others  if  we  would  save 
otirselves.  We  are  here  to  serve  rather  than  to  be  served. 
Jesus  is  the  ideal  Saviour  of  men  because  He  is  the  ideal  Servant 
of  men.  "I  am  in  the  midst  of  you  as  he  that  serveth,"  He 
said.  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  imto  one  of  these  my  brethren, 
even  these  least,"  the  hungry,  the  thirsty,  the  naked,  the 
stranger,  the  sick,  the  prisoner,  "  ye  did  it  unto  me." 

The  Christian  ideal  of  society,  accordingly,  is  a  family,  a 
commimity,  a  nation,  a  humanity,  in  which  love  for  the  neigh- 
bor goes  hand  in  hand  with  self  love,  where  every  one  sees  his 
own  highest  welfare  realized  through  the  welfare  of  his  fellows, 
where  friendly  co-operation  displaces  rivalry  and  strife,  and 
where  individual  regeneration  is  regeneration  of  social  attitudes 
— ^regeneration  toward  an  ideal  society.  In  such  a  society  aU 
will  feel  that  they  are  members  one  of  another,  that  service 
rendered  rather  than  received  is  the  keynote  of  every  life,  and 
that  laws,  institutions,  customs,  and  organizations  approximate 
to  the  ideal  only  so  far  as  they  are  pervaded  by  the  spirit  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Tliis  is  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth  for  whose 
coming  we  are  told  to  pray. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Cross:  The  Essentials  of  Christianity.  {2)  Plantz:  The  Church  and 
the  Social   Problem.     {3)  Batten:  The  Social   Task  of  Christianity,     {4) 


264  The  Modern  Church  -^"^^^ 

Gladden:  The  Church  and  Modern  Life.  (5)  Mathews:  The  Church  and 
the  Changing  Order.  (6)  Rauschenbusch:  Christianity  and  the  Social 
Crisis.  (7)  On  "  Mr.  Ford's  Plan  to  Share  Profits,"  see  The  World's 
Work,  April,  1914,  {8)  On  Anarchism,  Communism,  and  Socialism,  see 
Encyclopoedia  Britannica,  Eleventh  Edition. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  is  the  nature  of  the  modern  industrial  problem? 

2.  Mention  some  of  the  causes  that  have  brought  it  about. 

3.  What  are  some  of  the  outstanding  results? 

4.  What  is  the  outlook  for  the  future? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1,  How  did  the  early  church  in  Jerusalem  try  to  realize  the  Christian 
ideal  of  society? 


2.  Mention  some  of  the  great  struggles  that  have  been  precipitated  by 
intolerable  social  conditions. 


3.  What  are  some  of  the  remedies  advocated  by  socialism? 


4.  What  are  the  leading  doctrines  of  anarchism? 


5.  How  does  communism  differ  from  'socialism  and  anarchism? 


6.  Describe  briefly  the  single-tax  movement. 


7.  What  is  meant  by  profit  sharing? 


8.  What  is  the  real  nature  of  the  remedies  proposc^d  by  these  and  similar 
schemes  of  social  reform? 


Forty-two  xiie  ChuTck  and  Industrial  Warfare  265 

9.  Why  do  these  remedies  not  touch  the  real  evil? 

10.  To  what  did  Jesus  trace  the  evils  of  society? 

11.  What  remedy  did  He  propose? 

12.  What  was  Christ's  social  ideal? 


13.  How  would  the  realization  of  the  Christian  ideal  affect  presc 
social  conditions? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  The  social  teachings  of  Jesus. 

2.  Reasons  why  the  social  problem  is  primarily  ethical. 

3.  What  the  church  can  do  to  aid  in  solving  the  social  problem. 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

Does  a  Christian  social  order  mean  perfection? 


Lesson  42.    THE  CHURCH  AND  INDUSTRIAL  WARFARE. 

Scripture  Reading:  The  Industrial  Unrest  in  Egypt.     Exodus  5: 1-6: 1. 

Note  1.  Have  We  an  Industrial  War?  A  few  years  ago 
several  officers  in  a  prominent  trades  union  were  convicted  and 
sentenced  to  long  terms  of  imprisonment  for  instigating  the 
destruction  by  dynamite  of  much  private  property  which  re- 
sulted also  in  the  killing  of  a  large  number  of  innocent  persons. 
Attempts  were  made  to  palliate  these  crimes  on  the  ground  that 
the  instigators  regarded  the  conflict  between  labor  and  capital 
as  a  state  of  war,  and  felt  justified  in  using  war  measures 
to  attain  their  ends.    The  emphatic  condemnation  of  these 


266  The  Modern  Church  ^^"°" 

crimes  by  the  labor  unions  throughout  the  country  was  gratify- 
ing, because  they  showed  that  the  masses  of  the  laboring  popu- 
lation are  law-abiding  citizens,  and  that  they  do  not  recognize 
the  contest  between  labor  and  capital  as  necessitating  war 
measures.  One  could  have  wished  that  an  equally  emphatic 
and  unanimous  condemnation  had  been  passed  on  those  minor 
acts  of  violence  that  so  often  occur  in  connection  with  strikes, 
such  as  the  stoning  of  "  scabs  "  and  strikebreakers,  and  riotous 
resistance  to  those  whose  duty  it  is  to  enforce  the  laws. 

In  opposition  to  the  view  that  a  state  of  industrial  warfare 
actually  exists  between  employers  and  employees,  it  is  urged 
that  these  parties  are  not  enemies,  but  allies  in  the  production 
of  the  world's  goods,  and  that  each  is  needful  to  the  other. 
The  employers  are  in  the  market  to  purchase  labor,  just  as 
they  purchase  wool  or  cotton.  At  the  Homestead  strike  the 
government  investigating  committee  drew  from  the  vice- 
president  of  the  great  steel  works  the  frank  admission,  **  We 
buy  and  sell  men  just  as  we  do  pig-iron  and  steel."  On  the 
other  hand,  the  laboring  men  have  only  their  labor  to  sell. 
To  get  the  best  prices  and  the  best  conditions  under  which  to 
work  it  is  necessary  for  them  to  combine,  and  this  necessity 
justifies  the  formation  of  labor  unions.  These  conditions,  it  is 
claimed,  make  a  state  of  industrial  war  imthinkable  and  absurd. 
People  who  wish  to  buy  or  sell  goods  do  not  start  by  making 
enemies  of  one  another.  A  friendly  attitude,  even  where  the 
thing  to  be  bought  or  sold  is  a  necessity  to  both  parties,  will 
lead  to  more  advantageous  terms  to  all  concerned  than  anger, 
extortion,  and  violence.  Therefore,  whatever  sporadic  acts  of 
violence  may  occur  under  the  influence  of  passion  and  excite- 
ment, should  not  be  regarded  as  symptoms  of  war  between  labor 
and  capital.  The  modem  industrial  movement  must,  there- 
fore, be  viewed  as  fundamentally  a  movement  in  the  direction 
of  peace. 

This  argimient  rests  throughout  on  an  rmsound  basis.  First 
of  all,  any  employer  who  is  in  the  market  to  purchase  labor  as 
he  purchases  wool,  cotton,  or  other  raw  materials  is  engaged 
in  a  fundamentally  immoral  business.  Labor  is  not  a  mere 
purchasable  commodity.  Labor  is  the  laborer.  It  is  human 
life.  "  The  central  doctrine  of  the  slave  power  was  that  the 
laborer  was  mere  merchandise.  The  central  doctrine  of  the 
money  power  is  that  labor  is  merely  merchandise."  Both 
doctrines  are  absolutely  destructive  of  liberty.  In  both  cases 
the  laborer  is  a  slave,  because  no  power  human  or  divine  can 


Forty-two  ^he  CkuYck  and  Industrial  Warfare  267 

separate  labor  from  the  laborer.  If  men  are  forced  to  sell  their 
labor,  that  is,  themselves,  at  prices  so  low  as  barely  to  svistain 
life,  what  material  difference  does  it  make  whether  they  are 
sold  on  the  auction  block  or  in  a  free  labor  market?  The  old- 
time  slave  holder  was  at  least  interested  in  keeping  his  slaves 
in  good  condition  in  order  to  get  from  them  the  utmost  producing 
power.  The  modem  employer  holds  himself  absolved  by  the 
law  of  supply  and  demand  from  all  care  whether  his  workmen 
live  or  die  on  the  wages  they  receive.  Can  there  be  anything 
less  than  industrial  warfare  as  long  as  human  life  must  sell  itself 
at  forced  sale  in  order  to  live? 

But,  furthermore,  as  Professor  Francis  G.  Peabody  of  Har- 
vard asks:  "  Is  it  not  a  strange  form  of  peace  movement  which 
begins  by  exaggerating  the  antagonisms  of  industry,  and  pro- 
poses as  its  end  a  social  revolution  which  shall  entirely  abolish 
the  capitalist  class?  "  The  fact  that  happy  industrial  partner- 
ships actually  exist  here  and  there  *'  only  brings  more  clearly 
before  us  the  real  nature  of  the  prevailing  industrial  warfare. 
It  is  not  an  antagonism  which  is  inherent  in  economic  life.  In 
fact,  it  is  at  bottom  not  an  antagonism  at  all.  The  industrial 
conflict  of  the  present  day  is  simply  the  form  assumed  by  that 
profound  sense  of  moral  distrust  which  is  stirring  in  the  hearts 
of  the  hand-worldng  class,  and  expresses  itself  in  a  demand  for 
industrial  justice."  (Jesus  Christ  and  the  Social  Question,  pp. 
271,  272.)  It  is  precisely  because  all  classes  of  socialists  are 
profoimdly  convinced  that  the  industrial  injustice  from  which 
laborers  suffer  is  inseparably  connected  with  the  existence  of  a 
capitalistic  class  that  they  demand  its  destruction,  and  why  the 
call  is  not  so  much  for  a  gradual  reformation  as  for  a  social 
revolution. 

A  further  evidence  that  the  present  industrial  situation  is 
one  of  war  and  not  peace  is  seen  not  merely  in  strikes  on  the 
part  of  workmen  and  lockouts  on  the  part  of  employers,  but 
in  the  violence  that  frequently  shows  itself  in  connection  with 
them.  Stoning  of  "  scabs,"  forcible  resistance  to  police  and 
militia,  and  the  dynamiting  of  property  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
employment  of  private  armies  of  sluggers  to  do  violence  to  the 
strikers  on  the  other  hand,  follow  naturally  when  hostile  in- 
dustrial forces  are  drawn  up  in  battle  array.  Both  constitute 
acts  of  lawlessness  that  disinterested  parties  condemn,  but  that 
each  side  approves  as  justifiable  war  measures.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  the  present  growing  tendency  to  arbitrate  differ- 
ences between  capital  and  labor  will  ultimately  remove  the 


268  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^«» 

grounds  for  those  differences  which  now  result  in  industrial 
warfare. 

Note  2.    Relation  of  the  Church  to  the  Industrial  Warfare. 

If  the  struggle  between  labor  and  capital  were  merely  a  greedy- 
scramble  for  material  goods,  the  church  might  well  refuse  to 
interfere.  She  might  say  as  Jesus  did  when  asked  to  interpose 
between  two  brothers  who  were  quarreling  over  an  inheritance : 
'*  Man,  who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  over  you?  "  But 
even  in  his  refusal  to  take  sides  in  the  controversy,  Jesus 
showed  that  the  trouble  between  these  brothers  was  primarily 
moral  and  not  pecimiary.  "And  he  said  -unto  them,  Take 
heed,  and  keep  yourselves  from  covetousness :  for  a  man's  life 
consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possess- 
eth."  (Luke  12:  15.)  As  Jesus  approached  the  trouble  between 
the  two  brothers  by  working  for  the  inward  transformation  of 
the  individual,  so  must  the  church  hold  before  the  world  the 
vision  of  an  ideal  society  that  is  composed  of  regenerated, 
tmselfish  men. 

The  church  must  see  that  the  industrial  warfare  is  at  heart  a 
struggle  for  justice,  a  cry  for  a  rectification  of  the  hideous  in- 
equalities that  have  almost  imiversally  prevailed  in  the  distri- 
bution of  the  profits  from  labor.  A  famous  illustration  is 
Plugson  of  Undershot.  "  He  enlisted  his  thousand  men;  said 
to  them,  *  Come,  brothers,  let  us  have  a  dash  at  Cotton!  '  They 
follow  with  cheerful  shout ;  they  gain  such  a  victory  over  Cotton 
as  the  Earth  has  to  admire  and  clap  hands  at.  Plugson,  buc- 
caneerlike, says  to  them:  *  Noble  spinners,  this  is  the  Htindred 
Thousand  we  have  gained,  wherein  I  mean  myself  to  dwell 
and  plant  vineyards ;  the  Hundred  Thousand  is  mine ;  the  three 
and  sixpence  daily  was  yours :  adieu,  noble  spinners ;  drink  my 
health  with  this  groat  each,  which  I  give  you  over  and  above!  '  " 
To  preach  elimination  of  covetousness  to  men  who  are  toiling 
for  starvation  wages,  while  Plugson  occupies  the  most  conspicu- 
ous pew  in  the  church,  is  a  mockery  that  only  hastens  the  im- 
pending revolution.  The  churches  must  join  the  cry  for  justice. 
Justice  is  a  fimdamental  principle  in  the  gospel  of  Christ.  So 
long  as  the  laboring  masses  were  steeped  in  ignorance,  and 
assured  that  poverty  is  a  divine  dispensation,  there  was  little 
effort  to  escape  from  industrial  slavery.  Today  these  people 
are  eagerly  reading  and  listening  and  thinking.  They  see  their 
rights  as  never  before,  and  they  are  organizing  to  obtain  them. 
The  day  is  coming,  whether  we  like  it  or  not,  when  a  few  bil- 


Forty-two  ji-iQ  Chtirch  and  Indttsirial  Warfare  269 

lionaires  at  one  end  of  the  scale  are  not  going  to  outweigh  imtold 
want  and  miseiy  at  the  other.  The  question  for  the  churches  is 
whether  they  will  remain  dumb  while  the  forces  are  gathering 
for  a  violent  revolution,  or  by  wise  coimsels  and  abundant 
sympathy  point  the  way  to  a  peaceful  evolution. 

In  seconding  the  call  of  the  oppressed  for  social  justice  the 
churches  must  not  fail  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the  present 
industrial  order,  imperfect  as  it  imquestionably  is,  is  not  wholly 
evil.  It  is  the  product  of  countless  ages  of  sti-uggle  for  better 
ways  and  means  of  supplying  human  needs.  As  a  whole,  it  is 
not,  as  often  asserted,  "  a  scheme  of  destructiveness  and  social 
piracy,  but  a  vast  and  complex  movement  of  social  service. 
In  the  main,  the  most  rewarding  forms  of  business  are  those 
which  are  based  on  the  discernment  of  real  needs  and  the  sup- 
plying of  real  benefits."  Capital  and  labor,  employers  and 
employees,  are  alike  engaged  in  a  common  service  to  mankind. 
It  is  only  when  capital  is  engaged  in  carrying  on  business  of  a 
character  or  in  a  way  that  does  injury  to  the  people,  that  it 
becomes  illegitimate  and  should  be  destroyed  if  it  cannot  be 
reformed. 

The  churches  can  pour  oil  on  the  troubled  waters  by  preach- 
ing first,  last,  and  above  all  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  power  of 
justice  and  love  that  works  its  way  out  into  all  the  storm-tossed 
affairs  of  himian  life.  But  even  this  is  useless  tmless  individual 
Christians  see  to  it  that  their  own  lives  are  right,  and  that  their 
dealings  with  their  fellowmen  are  actuated  by  that  unselfish- 
ness which  makes  injustice,  oppression,  hatred,  and  violence 
impossible. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Peabody:  Jesus  Christ  and  the  Social  Problem,  pp.  267-326.  (2) 
Plantz:  The  Church  and  the  Social  Problem,  pp.  73-107.  (5)  Rauschen- 
busch:  Christianizing  the  Social  Order,  pp.  341-351;  Churchill:  The  Inside 
of  the  Cup. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  How  did  the  first  Christians  try  to  realize  their  social  ideal? 

2.  Mention  some  of  the  current  schemes  for  social  betterment. 

3.  What  fundamental  objection  applies  to  them  all? 

4.  What  is  the  Christian  ideal  of  society? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  seems  to  show  that  the  struggle  between  capital  and  labor 
partakes  of  the  nature  of  war? 


270  The  Modern  Church  ^"^^" 

2.  What  considerations  are  urged  against  this  view? 

3.  What  is  the  prevailing  attitude  of  labor  toward  capital? 

4.  Why  is  the  industrial  contest  moral  rather  than  economic? 

5.  How  did  Jesus  deal  with  a  demand  for  social  justice? 

6.  How  should  the  churches  interpret  the  industrial  conflict? 

7.  Why  are  the  laboring  classes  no  longer  content  to  remain  social  slaves? 


8.  What  spreading  misconception  of  the  present  social. order  should  the 
churches  try  to  correct? 


9.  What  can  the  churches  do  to  bring  about  more  peaceful  relations 
between  laborers  and  employers? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  How  did  Jesus'  parable  of  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard  (Mt.  20:  1-16) 
bear  on  the  modern  demand  for  an  equal  wage? 

2.  Why  do  so  many  of  the  laboring  classes  make  a  religion  of  socialism? 

3.  If  you  live  in  an  industrial  community  where  strikes  are  more  or  less 
frequent,  what  attitude  has  your  church  taken  toward  them? 

4.  What  are  the  relations  of  labor  and  capital  in  your  neighborhood? 


Foriy-three  fhe  Churck  Qi^  the  Welfare  of  Wage  Earners         271 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  If  a  man  joins  in  a  strike  for  higher  wages,  is  it  right  for  another  man 
to  take  his  job  at  the  wages  offered? 

2.  Does  Eldon  Parr  in  Churchill's  "  The  Inside  of  the  Cup  "  represent  a 
common  or  an  exceptional  type  in  our  rich  city  churches? 


Lesson  43.    THE  CHURCH  AND   THE  WELFARE   OF 
WAGE  EARNERS. 

Scripture  Reading:  ObHgations  Toward  Wage  Earners.     Deut.  14:  14,  15. 

Note  1.  Why  the  Church  Should  be  Interested  m  Wage 
Earners.  (1)  Its  Mission  is  to  All  Men.  Comparatively  few 
men  are  bom  into  a  condition  that  exempts  them  from  labor. 
To  the  great  majority  toil  is  the  price  of  existence,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  comfort.  It  has  always  been  so,  and  so  it  will  probably 
continue  indefinitely.  "  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat 
bread  "  was  the  Old  Testament  law;  the  law  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  to  the  same  effect,  "  If  any  will  not  work,  neither  let 
him  eat."  The  mission  of  the  chvirch  is  not  to  any  particular 
class,  but  to  mankind, 

(2)  It  should  Serve  Most  where  Most  Needed.  All  men,  rich 
and  poor,  stand  on  the  same  plane  before  God,  and  need  alike 
the  message  of  the  Gospel.  But  the  poor,  who  include  the 
great  mass  of  toiling  men  and  women,  are  especially  subject 
to  conditions  that  demand  help,  sympathy,  and  encouragement. 
The  severest  denunciations  of  the  Old  Testament  prophets 
were  directed  against  those  who  oppressed  the  poor.  Jesus 
pronounced  his  heaviest  woes  on  those  who  tithed  mint,  anise, 
and  cummin,  and  left  undone  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law, 
justice  and  mercy  and  faith.  In  every  subsequent  age  of  the 
chtirch,  so  far  as  it  has  been  loyal  to  the  teachings  of  Christ,  it 
has  been  considerate  toward  the  poor  and  a  protector  of  the 
oppressed.  The  church  should  have  deep  sympathy  for  the 
laboring  class.     Its  own  Founder  was  a  wage  earner. 

{3)  For  Its  Own  Sake.  Religion  cannot  flotuish  except  on  a 
fair  degree  of  physical  comfort.  Where  the  powers  of  body  and 
soul  are  exhausted  in  a  sordid  struggle  for  existence  there  is 
no  room  for  the  appeals  of  religion.  "  Lives  which  are  strained 
and  starved,  lives  which  are  passed  in  rank  discomfort  and  imder 
grinding  poverty,  without  the  possibiHty  of  the  independence  of 
the  individual  or  of  the  sacredness  of  the  home,  cannot  be  re- 


272  The  Modern  Church  ^"^«« 

ligious  except  in  the  most  rudimentary  sense  of  the  word." 
The  church  cannot  hope  to  reach  the  laboring  classes  with  the 
Gospel  of  salvation  in  another  world  unless  she  does  what  she 
can  to  promote  among  them  some  measure  of  physical  comfort, 
leisure  for  thought,  and  security  in  work  in  this  world.  Thorold 
Rogers  in  his  lectures  on  The  Economic  Interpretation  of  History 
points  out  that  every  religious  revival  in  England  has  happened 
on  the  basis  of  comparative  prosperity,  and,  on  the  contrary, 
that  the  English  church  was  never  in  so  low  a  state  as  during 
prevailing  poverty  and  distress  of  the  seventeenth  and  part  of 
the  eighteenth  centuries. 

Note  2.  What  the  Church  Can  Do  to  Promote  the  Welfare 
of  Wage  Earners.  (1)  Payment  of  a  Living  Wage.  The 
churches  can  do  much  to  quicken  that  sense  of  social  justice 
which  shall  give  to  every  man  willing  to  work  not  only  an 
opportunity,  but  wages  sufficient  for  his  support.  This  means 
not  merely  enough  for  a  single  man  to  live  in  a  cheap  boarding 
house,  but  enough  for  the  father  of  an  average  family  to  provide 
them  a  sanitary  home,  nourishing  food,  sufficient  clothing, 
schooling  for  the  children  under  sixteen,  and  some  savings 
against  sickness  and  old  age.  To  this  end  the  churches  might 
well  exert  themselves  to  procure  legislation  compelling  employ- 
ers to  file  for  public  inspection  the  scale  of  wages  paid,  as  doctors 
are  required  to  file  the  statistics  of  public  health,  and  a  public 
commission  to  adjust  wages.  Publicity  tends  to  restrain  evils 
in  industry  as  well  as  in  politics. 

(2)  The  Eight- Hour  Day.  While  the  eight-hour  day  for 
labor  has  been  won  in  many  industries,  the  ten-hour  day  still 
grips  wage  earners  in  large  sections  of  the  industrial  world. 
In  some  cases,  as  in  the  manufacture  of  steel,  the  operatives 
work  twelve  hours  a  day  and  seven  days  in  the  week.  The 
attainment  of  a  short-hour  day  in  all  industries  would  be  a 
positive  gain  not  only  for  the  workers  themselves,  but  for  the 
employers  as  well.  It  has  repeatedly  been  shown  that  high- 
priced  labor  in  America,  with  short  hours,  is  really  the  cheapest 
labor  in  the  world,  owing  to  the  better  health,  greater  energy, 
and  superior  intelligence  of  the  workers.  Over  and  over  again 
it  has  been  demonstrated,  that  while  in  some  cases  greater 
leisure  increases  idleness  and  intemperance,  in  the  long  run  it 
leads  to  a  better  home  life,  more  reading,  greater  interest  in 
public  questions,  and  above  all  to  a  marked  decrease  in  the  use 
of  stimulants.     For  humanitarian  as  well  as  moral  reasons  the 


Forty-three  xhe  CJiurch  mid  the  Welfare  of  Wage  Earners         273 

ckiirches  should  join  vigorously  in  the  movement  for  a  short- 
hour  day. 

(3)  The  Right  to  Sunday  Rest.  Laborers  need  not  only  the 
shorter  day,  but  the  weekly  day  of  rest.  A  workingman  was 
told  by  his  employer  to  do  some  imnecessary  work  on  Stmday. 
The  man  courteously  refused,  whereupon  the  master  retorted, 
**  Did  not  our  Lord  say  that  the  Sabbath  was  made  for  man?  " 
*'  Yes,  sir,"  was  the  shrewd  reply,  "  you  are  right — the  Sabbath 
was  made  for  man  and  is  therefore  not  to  be  taken  from  men." 
A  large  part  of  the  w^ork  done  on  the  Lord's  day,  on  the  groimd 
that  it  is  necessary,  could  be  omitted.  The  real  reason  too 
often  is  greed  for  gain.  Employers  keep  their  workmen  em- 
ployed seven  days  in  the  week  because  they  are  not  satisfied 
with  the  profits  made  in  six  days.  This  is  especially  the  case 
with  Sunday  amusements  such  as  theatres,  baseball,  and  excur- 
sions; fruit,  tobacco,  and  most  drug  stores  have  as  little  excuse 
for  being  kept  open  on  Sunday  as  grocers  or  butchers.  The 
church  in  her  fight  against  Sunday  desecration  is  really  perform- 
ing one  of  her  greatest  services  for  the  cause  of  labor.  Those 
who  plead  for  the  introduction  of  the  Continental  Sunday  are 
suspiciously  silent  respecting  the  fact  that  a  large  porportion  of 
the  Simday  slaves  in  Europe  are  crying  out  for  deliverance. 
Workingmen  who  have  not  been  misled  by  demagogues  and  by 
false  social  theories  are  themselves  eager  to  co-operate  with  the 
churches  for  Stmda^^  rest,  or  for  one  other  day  in  seven  where 
the  conditions  of  industry  or  service  require  continuous  work. 

(4)  Protection  of  Women  and  Children.  The  introduction  of 
almost  automatic  machinery  has  so  lightened  the  work  of  pro- 
duction in  many  industries,  especially  wool  and  cotton,  that 
labor  once  requiring  the  strong  muscles  of  men  can  now  be 
performed  by  women  and  young  children.  Practically  all  the 
lighter  operations  in  mills  and  factories  have  been  turned  over 
to  them  at  greatly  reduced  wages.  The  first  result  is  that 
women  and  children  have  become  competitors  instead  of  helpers 
of  men — in  ntmiberless  instances  driving  them  out  of  employ- 
ment. Many  occupations  are  now  almost  entirely  carried  on 
by  women.  But  in  taking  the  places  of  men,  women  and 
children  have  become  subject  to  the  same  industrial  conditions, 
especially  long  hours.  Children  of  seven,  six,  or  even  five 
years  of  age  have  been  kept  out  of  school,  robbed  of  the  joys  of 
childhood,  and  made  physical  wrecks  for  the  rest  of  their  lives. 
Women  have  been  subjected  to  strains  that  impair  their  health, 
and  that  interfere  with  or  vinfit  them  for  those  sacred  race 


274  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^«« 

fvinctions  which  are  infinitely  more  important  than  the  produc- 
tion of  goods.  Between  the  greed  of  employers  and  the  neces- 
sities of  the  poor,  these  conditions  have  so  developed  as  to  be- 
come a  grave  peril  to  society.  To  some  extent  the  evil  has  been 
checked  by  legislation,  but  in  many  instances  legislation  has 
been  so  shaped  by  interested  parties  as  to  legalize  intolerable 
abuses.  The  churches  should  not  leave  the  checking  of  indus- 
trial conditions  that  react  disastrously  on  womanhood  and 
childhood  to  outside  philanthropic  agencies.  They  can  render 
no  better  social  service  than  in  protecting  from  exploitation 
those  on  whose  welfare  the  efficiency  of  coming  generations 
depends. 

{5)  Side  with  the  Wage  Earners  against  Oppression.  The 
substitution  of  mechanical  power  for  man  power,  of  machines 
for  muscles,  resulted  in  the  transfer  of  industries  from  the 
home  to  great  factories,  and  in  a  hundredfold  increase  of  ma- 
terial wealth.  But  the  toiling  men,  women,  and  children  who 
were  essential  factors  in  the  production  of  this  increase,  instead 
of  sharing  in  it,  have  seen  it  pass  into  the  hands  of  a  few  who 
have  built  up  colossal  fortunes,  and  who  have  used  the  tre- 
mendous power  thus  acquired  for  still  further  oppression  of 
the  laborers.  Against  this  tyranny  of  capital  all  classes  of 
workmen  have  been  forced  to  combine  for  self-protection. 
Their  demands  for  a  recognized  voice  in  the  control  and  distri- 
bution of  the  products  of  industry  have  been  for  the  most  part 
bitterly  opposed  by  the  capitalistic  class,  whose  prevailing 
attitude  was  bluntly  expressed  by  the  president  of  a  large  rail- 
road during  the  great  coal  strike  of  1902.  His  exact  words 
were:  "  The  rights  and  the  interests  of  the  laboring  men  will 
be  looked  after  and  cared  for,  not  by  agitators,  bu.t  by  the 
Christian  men  to  whom  God  in  His  infinite  wisdom  has  given 
the  control  of  the  property  interests  of  the  country."  Against 
such  insolence,  and  arrogance,  born  of  insatiable  and  success- 
ful greed,  it  is  the  plain  duty  of  the  churches  to  take  sides  with 
the  labor.  This  does  not  necessitate  an  endorsement  of  all  the 
methods  which  labor  employs  to  gain  its  points. 

Note  3.    The  Churches  Willing  to  Act  if  Shown  How.     A 

comparison  of  the  advantages,  opportunities,  and  comforts 
enjoyed  by  wage  earners  in  Christian  lands,  especially  in  our 
own  country,  with  the  poverty,  ignorance,  and  oppression  to 
which  they  are  exposed  in  heathen  lands  shows  how  great  is 
the  debt  they  owe  to  the  uplifting  and  humanizing  influence  of 


Forty-three  jj^^  ChiiYch  Qfid  the  Welfare  of  Wage  Earners         275 

Christianity.  The  chiirches  are  often  blamed  for  seeming  in- 
different to  the  welfare  of  industrial  workers.  In  some  cases 
this  may  be  true.  The  majority,  however,  recognize  their 
duty  and  are  willing  to  take  hold.  The  trouble  is  that  they  do 
not  know  precisely  what  to  do  or  how  to  do  it.  The  industrial 
revolution  of  our  time  has  come  so  suddenly,  in  such  magnitude, 
and  in  such  perplexing  variety  of  forms,  that  the  churches, 
accustomed  to  traditional  methods  of  work,  have  had  no  oppor- 
tunity to  adapt  themselves  to  the  new  situation.  Their  failure 
to  deal  competently  with  social  problems  is  due  chiefly  to 
ignorance  and  lack  of  trained  leadership.  The  problem  they 
face  is  so  tremendously  big  and  so  complicated  that  pastors 
and  churches,  who  have  dealt  only  with  individuals,  stand  in 
many  cases  helpless  and  appalled  before  it.  We  may  be  sure, 
however,  that  as  the  church  has  met  successfully  every  crisis 
in  the  past,  so  it  will  meet  that  of  oirr  time.  Already  the  social 
awakening  within  the  churches  has  reached  proportions  un- 
dreamed of  a  few  years  ago.  The  problem,  too  big  for  any 
single  church  or  denomination,  has  proved  an  imexpectedly 
potent  factor  in  forcing  denominations  into  imited  efforts.  One 
of  the  first  actions  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of 
Christ  in  America  (see  Lesson  39)  was  the  unanimous  adoption 
of  a  ntnnber  of  specific  principles  for  which  it  asserts  the  church 
must  stand.  Among  these  were  the  following:  "  The  gradual 
and  reasonable  reduction  of  the  hours  of  labor  to  the  lowest 
practicable  point,  and  that  degree  of  leisure  for  all  which  is  a 
condition  of  the  highest  human  life. 

"  A  release  from  employment  one  day  in  seven. 

"  A  living  wage  as  a  minimum  in  every  industry",  and  the 
highest  wage  that  each  industry  can  afford." 

Such  action  indicates  not  only  a  clear  sense  of  obligation,  but 
a  purpose  on  the  part  of  the  churches  to  meet  this  obligation 
to  the  full  extent  of  their  wisdom  and  ability. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{!)  Rauschenbusch :  Christianizing  the  Social  Order,  pp.  412-418.  {2) 
Plantz:  The  Church  and  the  Social  Problem,  pp.  242-276.  (5)  On  "  What 
is  the  Minimum  Wage,"  "  Women  in  Industry,"  and  "The  Eight-hour 
Day,"  see  The  Stirvey,  Oct.  19,  1912,  pp.  74-76.  (4)  Stelzle:  Messages  to 
Workingmen.     (5)  Thompson:   The  Churches  and  the  Wage  Earners. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  Why  may  modern  industrial  conflicts  be  described  as  war? 

2.  How  does  the  church  become  involved  in  this  conflict? 


276  The  Modern  Church  ^^"^" 

3.  What  should  the  position  of  the  church  be  in  relation  to  it? 

4.  Why  should  the  present  industrial  order  be  reformed  rather  than 
destroyed? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  On  general  principles,  why  should  the  church  seek  the  welfare  of  wage 
earners? 


2.  What  special  reasons  should  stimulate  interest  in  them? 


3.  How  is  the  welfare  of  the  church  dependent  on  the  welfare  of  the 
industrial  classes? 


4.  How  can  the  church  assist  in  promoting  the  material  wellbeing  of 
wage  earners? 


5.  How  can  the  church  promote  their  better  health  and  higher  intelli- 


6.  What  should  the  position  of  the  church  be  toward  Sunday  employ- 
ment? 


7.  Why  should  the  churches  be  active  in  suppressing  the  sacrifice  of 
women  and  children  to  industrial  greed? 


8.  Why  have  the  churches  appeared  to  be  slow  in  grappling  with  the 
industrial  problem? 


9.  What  shows  that  the  churches  are  responding  to  their  social  duty? 


Forty-four  ji^^  CliuYch  and  Race  Antagonisms  277 

SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  is  meant  by  the  minimum  wage? 

2.  Is  the  eight-hour  day  always  possible  or  advisable? 

3.  What  are  the  hours  and  wages  of  women  employed  in  stores  in  your 
neighborhood?     In  factories? 

4.  What  laws  has  your  State  respecting  child  labor?     Is  there  any  child 
labor  in  your  community? 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

What  can  our  church  do  to  promote  the  welfare  of  wage  earners? 


Lesson  44.    THE  CHURCH  AND  RACE  ANTAGONISMS. 

Scripture  Reading:  Race  Antagonism  in  the  Early  Church.     Acts  6:  1-6. 

Note  1.  Modem  Race  Antagonisms.  Race  antagonisms 
exist  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  The  mildest  form  is  seen  in  the 
jealousies  which  spring  up  between  contiguous  nations  of  the 
same  race  and  the  same  social  and  political  standing.  The 
strongest  are  those  which  spring  up  where  different  races  repre- 
senting the  extremes  of  social  development  are  forced  into  close 
contact.  One  of  the  most  acute  antagonisms  in  the  modem 
world  is  that  between  the  white  and  the  colored  races  in  the 
United  States.  Of  the  upwards  of  ten  million  Negroes  in  this 
country  about  eighty  -eight  per  cent  Hve  in  the  Southern  States. 
In  some  of  these  States  the  Negroes  constitute  considerably 
more  than  half  of  the  population.  Most  of  them  are  engaged 
in  agriculture.  In  the  industries  they  occupy  the  lowest  posi- 
tion. Trades  imions  do  not  admit  them  to  fellowship.  In  the 
Northern  States  one  after  another  of  the  occupations  that  have 
been  filled  by  colored  men  are  taken  over  by  the  whites,  and  no 
new  occupations  are  opened  to  them.  It  is  becoming  more  and 
more  difficult  for  them  to  find  lucrative  employment.  From 
many  communities  in  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Missouri,  Negroes 
are  mthlessly  excluded.  In  a  message  to  the  Florida  State 
Legislature  a  few  years  ago  Governor  Broward  said:  "  It  is 
apparent  to  even  casual  observers  that  the  relation  between  the 
two  races  is  becoming  more  strained  and  acute.  The  Negroes 
today  have  less  friendship  for  the  white  people  than  they  have 
ever  had  since  the  Civil  War,  and  the  white  people  have  less 
tolerance  and  sympathy  for  the  Negro." 

The  Negroes  are  not  the  only  race  on  accoimt  of  which  we 
have  had  trouble  in  this  coimtry.     The  Indian  problem  has 


278  The  Modern  Church  ^^"°" 

largely  been  settled  by  extermination  and  by  segregation  of 
the  survivors  on  reservations.  For  a  generation  or  more  the 
people  on  the  Pacific  Coast  have  protested  so  vigorously  against 
the  admission  of  the  Chinese  as  to  have  procured  stringent 
national  legislation  adverse  to  them.  The  tremendous  strides 
made  by  the  Japanese  in  civilization  and  military  power  have 
given  them  more  political  consideration  and  social  equality  than 
has  been  accorded  to  the  Chinese,  though  even  in  their  case 
there  is  strong  opposition  to  an  imrestricted  immigration  of 
laborers.  The  outcry  against  the  admission  of  Hindus  into 
Vancouver  and  South  Africa,  and  the  inflamed  passions  against 
the  Jews  in  some  nominally  Christian  countries  in  Europe, 
and  the  cruelties  inflicted  upon  them,  show  that  race  antago- 
nisms are  not  confined  to  the  United  States. 

Note  2.  Reasons  for  Race  Antagonisms.  So  long  as  the 
different  races  did  not  overstep  what  Paul  calls  the  divinely 
appointed  "  bounds  of  their  habitation  "  (Acts  17:  26),  and  had 
ample  room  to  expand  within  those  bounds,  no  conflicts  arose. 
The  growth  of  great  empires  in  the  ancient  world  brought  the 
races  into  a  contact  almost  always  productive  of  friction. 
Modern  commerce  has  still  further  vanquished  the  mountain 
ranges,  deserts,  and  oceans  that  seemed  impassable  barriers  to 
the  ancients.  The  pressure  of  increasing  populations  and  the 
facilities  of  modern  travel  have  promoted  migrations  to  an  ex- 
tent unknown  in  former  times.  Nearly  all  the  arable  land  in 
the  Temperate  Zone  is  occupied.  When  the  people  of  an  over- 
populated  coimtry  overflow  into  one  less  densely  inhabited, 
conflicts  are  bound  to  arise.  Furthermore,  the  much  higher 
wages  paid  in  advanced  countries  tempt  many  individuals  of 
the  lower  races  to  seek  employment  in  them  at  least  until  they 
have  accumulated  a  sum  that  permits  them  to  return  home 
with  an  amount  that  seems  a  fortune. 

A  potent  reason  for  race  antipathies  is  a  difference  in  the 
standards  of  living.  The  low  standards  to  which  Chinese 
laborers,  for  instance,  have  been  accustomed  enables  them  to 
live  and  accumulate  property  on  wages  that  would  impoverish 
an  American  workman.  The  latter  in  sheer  self-defense  is 
forced  to  protect  himself  against  such  competition.  The  same 
is  true  in  respect  to  the  tide  of  immigration  that  during  the  last 
quarter  of  a  century  has  set  in  from  Southeastern  Europe.  At 
first  the  mining  operations  in  this  country  were  almost  wholly 
carried  on  by  Germans,   Irish  and  Welsh.     These  have  now 


Forty. four  jj^q  Churck  and  Race  Antagonisms  279 

been  driven  out  by  South  Italians  and  Slavs  among  whom  ilHter- 
acy  reaches  in  some  cases  the  appalling  figure  of  over  eighty 
per  cent.     So  with  many  other  employments. 

The  origin  of  most  race  antipathies  is  undoubtedly  that  un- 
reasoning prejudice  which  seems  to  increase  in  the  same  degree 
that  people  differ  from  one  another  in  color,  language,  social 
customs,  modes  of  thought,  and  religion.  When  tnis  race 
prejudice  is  re-enforced  by  economic  conflicts  the  antagonism 
not  seldom  becomes  acute  enough  to  give  rise  to  riots  and 
blood-shed. 

Note  3.  Difficulty  of  the  Negro  Problem.  Much  has  been 
done  by  philanthropy  for  the  uplifting  of  the  Negro  race,  and 
miracles  almost  have  been  wrought  by  the  race  itself.  But 
enough  remains  to  make  the  Negro  problem  the  despair  of  the 
country.  How  to  allay  the  present  race  antagonism,  how  to 
interpose  barriers  that  will  effectually  preserve  the  pure  blood  of 
both  races  without  irritating  social  discriminations,  how  to  do 
justice  to  the  Negro  in  the  spirit  of  that  brotherhood  which  is 
going  abroad  among  the  nations  as  never  before,  this  will  tax 
the  wisdom  of  statesmen,  philanthropists,  reformers,  and  the 
churches  as  no  other  problem  with  which  our  nation  has  to 
deal.  On  the  principle  that  desperate  diseases  require  desper- 
ate remedies,  many  of  the  best-informed  students  of  the  prob- 
lem, North  and  South,  are  returning  to  the  views  forcibly  and 
solemnly  expressed  by  Abraham  Lincoln  in  the  White  House  to 
a  delegation  of  colored  men,  that  the  only  way  to  secure  the 
welfare  and  happiness  of  both  races  will  be  by  a  gradual  trans- 
portation of  the  Negroes  to  some  territory,  domestic  or  foreign, 
acquired  by  government  purchase  and  set  apart  for  their 
exclusive  occupancy  imder  the  guardianship  of  the  United 
States. 

The  Negro  problem  is  essentially  a  Southern  problem,  and 
the  solution  of  it  must  ultimately  come  from  the  devoted  efforts 
of  the  Christian  men  and  women  of  the  South. 

Note  4.  Hampton  and  Tuskegee.  Two  schools  in  the  South 
are  inseparably  associated  with  the  moral  and  industrial  up- 
Hfting  of  the  Negro  race.  Many  other  schools  have  done  not- 
able work,  but  Hampton  and  Tuskegee  have  become  household 
words.  During  the  Civil  War  thousands  of  Negro  refugees 
had  flocked  to  Hampton,  Va.  Work  in  their  behalf  was  under- 
taken by  the  American  Missionary  Association.  Hampton 
Institute  was  an  outgrowth  of  this  work.     Under  its  first  prin- 


280  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°« 

cipal,  Gen.  S.  C.  Armstrong,  it  became  a  great  educational 
enterprise  in  which  thousands  of  Negro  and  Indian  students 
have  been  trained,  and  from  which  vigorous  offshoots  have 
been  planted  in  various  parts  of  the  South.  The  most  impor- 
tant of  these  is  at  Tuskegee,  Ala. 

Tuskegee  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute  started  in  1881 
with  thirty  students  in  an  old  Negro  church.  An  old  shanty 
near  by  was  occupied  as  a  recitation  room.  Booker  T.  Wash- 
ington was  the  principal  and  Miss  Olivia  A.  Davidson  his 
assistant.  Both  were  graduates  of  Hampton.  From  these 
humble  beginnings  the  Institute  has  grown  by  leaps  and  bounds 
until  it  possesses  at  the  present  time  (1914)  nearly  $2,000,000 
of  productive  ftmds,  with  an  annual  income  of  over  $350,000, 
and  school  property  worth  about  $1,250,000.  Many  of  its  one 
hundred  buildings  are  of  brick;  nearly  all  have  been  designed 
and  constructed,  even  to  the  making  of  the  brick,  by  the  teach- 
ers and  students.  In  addition  to  the  usual  branches  of  a  good 
education,  forty  different  industries  are  taught  by  192  instructors 
to  1618  students.  It  is  now  the  largest  and  most  important 
training  school  in  the  world  for  the  colored  race.  Its  success 
is  due  to  the  imbounded  confidence  and  esteem  which  Booker 
T.  Washington  has  won  by  his  high  character  and  unselfish 
devotion  to  the  elevation  of  his  race  along  economic  and 
Christian  lines. 

It  is  only  fair  to  say,  however,  that,  much  as  education  may 
do  for  the  intellectual  and  economic  uplifting  of  the  Negroes, 
it  is  doubtful  if  it  can  bring  about  anything  but  a  superficial 
race  reconciliation.  The  antipathies  between  the  whites  and 
the  colored  people  in  this  country  are  not  primarily  due  to 
ignorance  and  poverty,  but  to  racial  barriers.  When  the  former 
are  retnoved  the  latter  will  survive  as  insurmountable  as  ever. 
There  are  those  among  the  sincerest  friends  of  the  Negro  who 
doubt  **  if  education  alone  can  possibly  tend  to  the  happiness 
of  any  race  so  long  as  it  only  aids  in  a  keener  discernment  of  the 
hopeless  differences  existing  between  that  race  and  a  dominant 
race  in  the  same  country  and  in  the  same  neighborhood." 

Note  5.  The  Case  of  the  Asiatics.  The  entire  number  of 
Asiatic  immigrants  in  this  country  is  less  than  one  himdred  and 
fifty  thousand.  The  great  majority  have  settled  along  the 
Pacific  Coast,  chiefly  in  California.  Among  the  reasons  given 
for  the  hostility  manifested  toward  them  are  the  following: 

The  enormous  differences  bet^^  een  Asiatic  and  American  civiH- 


Forty-four  j^he  ChuTch  and  Race  Antagonisms  281 

zation ;  the  overcrowded  condition  of  Oriental  countries,  which 
forces  the  population  to  swarm  into  other  lands ;  their  high  mental 
development  caused  by  centuries  of  severe  struggle  against 
adverse  material  conditions;  their  extraordinary  skill  in  farming 
developed  by  their  long  restriction  to  narrow  Hmits;  their  un- 
limited capacity  for  hard  work  through  long  hours,  and  their 
"  incredible  ability  for  living  on  Httle  food.  When  they  come  to 
America,  their  industry  and  thrift  are  amazing;  they  underiive, 
underbid,  and  outwork  us.  In  open  competition  the  white  man 
has  no  show."  Other  reasons  are  assigned,  such  as  their  lack 
of  interest  in  our  poHtical  life  and  institutions,  and  hence  their 
failure  to  make  good  citizens ;  pure  race  prejudice,  they  being 
yellow  or  brown,  and  we  being  white,  a  fact  which  it  is  alleged 
carries  with  it  such  social  and  psychological  differences  as  to 
make  any  attempt  to  live  together  sure  to  be  dangerous.  The 
Japanese  in  particular  are  objected  to  on  the  supposed  grotmd  of 
untrustworthiness,  immorality,  a  disposition  to  insist  on  race 
equality  with  the  whites,  a  vindictive  nature,  and  a  belHcose 
tendency  which  may  bring  a  Japanese  naval  and  military  attack 
on  California. 

Many  of  these  objections  are  due  to  mutual  misunderstand- 
ings, some  spring  from  irrational  prejudices,  but  the  funda- 
mental objection  rests  on  the  fear  of  an  industrial  competition 
which  native  workmen  are  unable  or  unwilling  to  meet.  Hence 
most  of  the  anti-Asiatic  agitation  has  originated  among  the 
laboring  classes  who  see  no  way  of  checking  a  swamping  in- 
vasion of  Oriental  cheap  labor  except  by  putting  up  the  bars 
against  those  who  might  wish  to  come  and  by  loading  those 
who  are  here  with  such  restrictions  as  will  make  them  wish  to 
get  away.  Many  careful  and  unprejudiced  students  of  the  situa- 
tion maintain,  however,  that  the  American  treatment  of  Asiatic 
immigrants  has  been  needless,  unjust,  and  unkind;  misleading, 
in  that  it  implies  an  issue  which  is  purely  imaginary;  humiliat- 
ing to  Japan,  a  proud  and  sensitive  nation,;  and  disgraceful  to 
America,  which  professes  to  be  a  friendly  nation;  injurious,  in 
that  it  tends  to  create  the  very  difficulties  it  fears ;  shortsighted 
from  the  standpoint  of  regard  for  our  own  commercial  interests, 
which  depend  on  international  good  will ;  and  contrary  to  the 
spirit  of  our  treaties  with  China  and  Japan.  We  have  de- 
manded and  received  from  them  an  open  door  for  Americans, 
and  the  same  privileges  that  are  accorded  to  citizens  of  the 
"  most  favored  nation,"  but  we  have  refused  to  grant  the  same 
privileges  to  their  people  among  us.     Unprejudiced  investiga- 


282  The  Modern  Church  ^''^'''' 

tion  has  conclusively  shown  that  many  of  the  grounds  of  criti- 
cism have  been  greatly  exaggerated,  and  that  there  are  ways  of 
treating  the  problem  that  are  honorable,  just,  courteous,  in 
harmony  with  American  ideals  of  fair  play,  and  "  more  suited 
to  the  new  era  of  cosmopolitan  life  on  which  the  world  is  enter- 
ing." From  no  conceivable  point  of  view  can  this  country 
afford  to  be  controlled  in  its  policies  toward  other  nations  by 
lower  principles  than  those  of  true  friendship,  equality,  and 
honor. 

Note  6.  What  the  Churches  Can  Do.  {1)  Recognize  the 
fact  that  the  race  question  is  largely  economic,  that  the  Negroes 
need  first  of  all  an  industrial  education  that  will  make  the  men 
better  farmers,  blacksmiths,  and  carpenters,  and  the  women 
better  housekeepers  and  mothers ;  and  that  only  as  they  become 
industrially  efficient  will  they  become  socially  independent. 

{2)  Assist  the  Negro  churches  to  obtain  preachers  who  shall 
work  more  for  right  living  and  less  for  emotional  effects. 

{3)  Assist  the  Negro  churches  with  financial  as  well  as  moral 
help. 

(4)  Assist  in  providing  for  the  Negroes  in  the  North  wider 
opportunities  for  service,  rational  amusements,  and  better 
housing  than  is  afforded  in  the  slums. 

{5)  Demand  for  Negroes  who  violate  the  law  the  same  ptmish- 
ments  that  the  law  provides  for  white  men,  administered  by 
proper  officers  and  not  by  senseless  mobs. 

(^)  Teach  the  white  people  that  the  doctrine  of  human 
brotherhood  includes  the  black  man  as  well  as  the  yellow  man, 
the  brown  man  and  the  red  man.  Lay  more  responsibility  on 
the  more  enlightened  white  man  and  less  on  the  ignorant  black. 

(7)  Get  acquainted  with  the  best  specimens  of  all  races  and 
through  this  acquaintance  look  for  inter-racial  concord. 

{8)  Proclaim  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  as  an  inspiration 
for  lifting  The  White  Man's  Burden,  for  checking  The  Yellow 
Peril,  and  for  solving  The  Negro  Question. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(/)  Commons:  Races  and  Immigrants  in  America.  {2)  Steiner:  On 
the  Trail  of  the  Immigrant.  (S)  Haygood :  Our  Brother  in  Black,  presents 
the  Southern  view.  (4)  Hoffman :  Race  Traits  and  Tendencies,  a  scientific 
treatment  of  the  subject.  (.5)  The  Negro  Problem,  presents  the  side  of 
the  negroes  by  some  of  their  ablest  writers.  (6")  Pickett:  The  Negro 
Problem;  Abraham  Lincoln^ s  Solution;  advocates  segregation.  (7)  Wash- 
ington  (Booker  T.):  Future  of  the  American    Nei^ro.     (8)  For  the  most 


Forty-four  xhe  ChuTck  and  Race  Antagonisms  283 

recent,  comprehensive,  and  sane  discussion  of  the  Japanese  immigration 
question,  see  Gulick:  The  American  Japanese  Problem.  (9)  Meckhn: 
Democracy  and  Race  Friction. 

REVIEW   QUESTIONS. 

1.  State  some  reasons  why  the  churches  should  be  interested  in  the  wage- 
earners. 

2.  State  some  things  the  churches  can  do  to  promote  their  welfare. 

3.  Why  should  the  churches  not  be  blamed  for  not  doing  more? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  How  is  the  American  proscription  of  the  negro  shown? 


2.  What  manifestations  of   other   race  antipathies  are  shown  in  this 
country? 


3.  What  are  some  of  the  causes  that  underlie  race  antagonisms? 


4.  What  causes  have  led  to  the  present  social  discrimination  against  the 
Negro? 


5.  What  are  some  of  the  difficult  elements  in  the  Negro  problem? 


6.  Describe  the  work  in  behalf  of  the  Negro  done  at  Hampton  and 
Tuskegee. 


7.  What  are  some  of  the  objections  urged  against  Asiatic  immigrants? 


8.  How  are  these  objections  answered? 


284  The  Modern  Church 


Lesson 


9.  What  can  the  churches  do  toward  the  solution  of  the  Negro  problem 
on  its  economic  side? 


10.  What,  on  its  religious  and  social  side? 


11.  What  can  the  church  do  toward  allaying  race  antagonisms  in  general? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Conditions  in  modern  civilization  that  tend  to  lessen  race  hostilities. 

2.  The  general  feeling  in  your  community  toward  Negroes  and  Chinese. 

3.  Reasons  for  the  popular  antipathy  toward  the  Jews. 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  The  abolitionists  were  often  asked  if  they  wanted  their  sisters  to 
marry  Negroes.  The  same  question  is  asked  today  in  the  South  of  those 
who  propose  social  and  political  rights  for  the  Negro.  How  would 
you  answer  it? 

2.  Should  we  accord  to  Japanese  and  Chinese  in  this  country  the  same 
privileges  that  we  demand  for  our  citizens  in  Japan  and  China? 


Lesson  45.    THE    CHURCH    AND    PUBLIC    CHARITIES. 

Scripture  Reading:  Paul  and  the  Great  Collection.     2  Cor.,   chs.  8,  9. 

Note  1.  The  Great  Collection  for  the  Poor  Saints  in  Jeru- 
salem. Twenty  years,  more  or  less,  had  passed  since  the 
primitive  church  in  Jerusalem,  in  an  enthusiasm  born  of  a  great 
spiritual  experience,  had  tried  to  embody  the  spirit  of  love  in  a 
beautiful  social  ideal.  A  noble  effort  was  made  to  abolish  all 
poverty,  for  "  not  one  of  them  said  that  aught  of  the  things 
which  he  possessed  was  his  own;  but  they  had  all  things  com- 
mon." In  the  meantime  sore  trials  had  befallen  them.  The 
violent  persecution  led  by  Saul  of  Tarsus  had  scattered  most  of 
them.  Those  who  remained  were  exposed  to  the  limitations 
always  imposed  on  a  hated  sect  by  a  fanatical  population. 
They  were  reduced  to  great  straits.  Saul,  now  Paul  the  Apostle, 
was  full  of    remorse  for  the  misguided  zeal  to  which  in  part 


Forty-five  j^he  Churcli  and  Public  Charities      '  285 

this  poverty  was  due.  In  a  great  collection  taken  up  among 
Gentile  churches  which  he  had  founded,  he  saw  an  op- 
portunity not  only  of  undoing  in  some  measure  the  harm  he 
had  wrought,  but  also  of  making  this  free-will  offering  from  the 
Gentile  converts  a  means  of  allaying  the  prejudices  of  the 
Jewish  Christians  toward  them.  The  carrying  of  this  testi- 
monial of  his  own  love  and  of  the  sympathy  of  the  Gentile 
brethren  to  the  afflicted  mother-church  in  Jerusalem  was  per- 
haps the  crowning  act  of  Paul's  public  ministry.  It  was  an 
exhibition,  moreover,  of  that  charity  which  in  every  subsequent 
age  has  been  a  marked  characteristic  of  the  true  Christian  spirit. 

Note  2c  The  Great  Collection  for  the  Poor  Today.  Eco- 
nomic and  social  conditions  in  Imperial  Rome  were  such  as  to 
breed  an  immense  number  of  paupers  who  subsisted  on  the 
charity  of  the  very  rich  or  on  the  distributions  of  food  by  the 
state.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era  the  state  provided 
for  200,000  poor  citizens,  besides  their  wives,  sisters,  and 
daughters.  There  were  great  crowds  of  poor  who  were  excluded 
from  these  bounties  and  lived  by  begging.  Consideration  for 
the  poor  was,  however,  no  part  of  the  Roman  character.  Polyb- 
ius  tells  us  that  "  A  Roman  never  gives  any  one  anything 
imgradgingly."  Plautus,  a  popular  poet,  asks,  "  What  is  the 
use  of  giving  a  beggar  an3rthing?  One  loses  what  one  gives 
away,  and  only  prolongs  the  miserable  existence  of  the  re- 
ceiver." Virgil,  in  a  beautiful  passage  describing  the  repose 
and  peace  of  a  truly  wise  man,  makes  one  of  the  conditions  of 
such  inward  peace  his  never  giving  way  to  a  feeling  of  pity  for 
the  poor.  There  were  thousands  of  rich  men  in  Rome,  but  not 
one  of  them  thought  of  erecting  a  home  for  the  poor  or  a  hospi- 
tal for  the  sick. 

In  contrast  with  this  selfishness  that  actually  prided  itself  on 
a  lack  of  sympathy  for  the  poor,  the  tenderness  of  the  Christians 
was  from  the  first  a  matter  of  constant  remark.  The  Emperor 
Julian  pointed  to  their  charitable  institutions  as  a  standing 
reproof  to  heathen  selfishness.  Every  century  has  witnessed  an 
expansion  of  these  benevolent  enterprises,  not  always  wise,  and 
often  twisted  away  from^  their  original  spirit  and  purpose,  but 
always  designed  to  relieve  suffering,  and  to  prepare  the  way  for 
a  better  age.  Sometimes,  like  the  monastic  and  mendicant 
orders,  they  were  taken  under  the  protection  of  the  church;  at 
other  times,  their  promotors  like  the  Waldenses,  the  Lollards, 
and  the  Anabaptists,  were  condemned  and  persecuted.     This 


286  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^^« 

sense  of  responsibility  for  the  poor  has  been  inherited  by  the 
modem  church.  There  was  never  an  age  in  the  history  of 
mankind  when  money  was  poured  out  so  lavishly  as  it  is  today 
for  the  relief  of  poverty  and  wretchedness.  More  and  more 
the  churches  are  coming  to  see  that  they  cannot  fulfil  their 
mission  except  as  they  combine  active  philanthropy  with  their 
preaching.  A  church  that  does  not  care  for  its  own  poor,  to  say 
nothing  of  those  outside,  forfeits  the  respect  of  the  commimity. 
The  spirit  of  Christian  charity  has  gone  outside,  of  the 
churches  and  now  permeates  the  civilized  world.  Care  for  the 
poor,  the  unfortunate,  and  for  defectives  has  now  been  assumed 
in  large  part  by  secular  agencies.  The  vast  expenditures  for 
these  purposes,  whether  provided  by  voluntary  contributions 
or  by  public  tax,  imposes  a  heavy  burden  on  the  capable  and 
industrious.  The  fact  that  it  is  borne  imgrudgingly  is  due 
chiefly  to  Christian  teaching  respecting  the  duty  of  bearing  one 
another's  burdens. 

Note  3.  The  Evil  of  Indiscriminate  Charity.  The  writer 
recalls  an  incident  in  his  student  days  when  beggars  and  tramps 
were  not  as  plentiful  as  they  have  become  in  recent  years.  A 
"  Weary  Willie  "  passing  through  the  college  campus  was  seen 
by  one  of  the  students  who  threw  a  small  coin  to  him  through 
an  open  window.  The  act  attracted  attention  and  presently 
every  window  in  the  four-story  building  had  a  student  in  it 
engaged  in  a  similar  act  inspired  more  perhaps  by  a  spirit  of 
fun  than  conscious  benevolence.  The  tramp  departed  with  a 
lighter  heart  and  heavier  pocket  than  he  had  known  for  many  a 
day.  The  next  day,  however,  when  the  students  were  assembled, 
one  of  the  faculty,  instead  of  commending  their  generosity, 
gave  them  such  a  lecture  on  the  evils  of  indiscriminate  charity 
as  no  one  who  heard  it  was  Hkely  to  forget. 

The  incident  illustrates  the  radical  change  that  has  taken 
place  in  the  administration  of  charity  within  a  century.  Care- 
ful observers  have  seen  that  poverty  and  distress  instead  of 
being  diminished  by  the  systems  of  relief  in  vogue  were  rapidly 
increasing.  A  study  of  Christian  and  secular  charities  during 
the  past  two  thousand  years  has  shown  beyond  controversy 
that  indiscriminate  charity  instead  of  proving  a  remedy,  or 
even  a  palliation  of  social  distress,  has  always  aggravated  it. 
Nobody  complains  of  the  help  rendered  to  the  sick,  blind,  deaf, 
feebleminded,  or  insane,  or  of  assistance  given  to  sufferers  from 
sudden  misfortxmes  such  as  fires,  floods,  or  earthquakes.     Pov- 


Forty-five  7/^^  ChuYck  and  PuhUc  Charities  287 

erty  stands  in  a  different  class  from  these.  The  great  majority 
of  men  are  poor,  very  little  removed  from  the  poverty  line. 
Some  make  a  brave  struggle  to  remain  independent  by  keeping 
above  it.  Others  give  up  and  fall  below  into  the  dependent 
class.  These  are  the  ones  who  are  supported  by  charity.  The 
more  they  get  the  better  they  live,  and  the  more  confirmed  they 
become  in  their  idleness.  When  the  self-supporting  poor  see 
paupers  living  better  without  work  than  they  themselves  can 
live  by  their  utmost  exertions,  thousands  of  them  will  choose 
the  life  of  the  pauper.  People  who  have  fallen  into  this  de- 
graded condition  find  it  an  easy  step  to  resorting  to  fraud  in  a 
thousand  forms,  when  relief  is  loosely  administered.  These 
are  the  conditions  that  in  many  cases  have  made  charity  a 
bane  rather  than  a  blessing. 

Note  4.    Poverty  Increased  by  the  Industrial  Revolution. 

The  introduction  of  labor-saving  machinery  in  almost  every 
department  of  industry  whereby  one  operator,  often  a  woman 
or  child,  can  do  the  work  of  from  five  to  fifty  men,  has  so  af- 
fected the  demand  for  labor  that  large  nimibers,  able  and  eager 
to  work,  can  procure  employment  only  a  part  of  the  time,  if  at 
all.  A  recent  English  writer,  speaking  of  conditions  that  pre- 
vail among  the  laboring  classes,  says:  "  Unemployment,  in- 
stead of  being  as  formerly  a  temporary  or  occasional  phenome- 
non which  would  disappear  with  the  revival  of  trades,  is  now  a 
chronic  evil.  In  the  most  prosperous  years,  on  a  given  day, 
there  is  not  work  enough  for  all  who  require  it.  Twenty-five 
to  thirty  per  cent  of  the  town  populations  of  the  United  King- 
dom are  living  in  poverty."  Conditions  are  not  so  bad  here  as 
there.  But  the  alarming  increase  of  destitution  in  nearly  all 
civilized  lands  shows  that  in  the  majorit}'-  of  cases  it  is  due  less 
to  individual  weakness  and  depravity  than  to  social  conditions 
over  which  the  individual  has  no  control. 

Note  5.  Relation  of  the  Church  to  Charities.  To  define  the 
relation  of  the  chiu"ch  to  public  charities  is  not  easy  because, 
while  it  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  minister  to  temporal  as  well 
as  to  spiritual  needs,  the  relief  and  prevention  of  poverty  has 
become  a  social  problem  of  such  magnitude  and  complexity  as 
to  require  distinctive  organizations  and  special  training.  To 
extend  assistance  to  its  own  poor  who  are  well  known  and  who 
have  fallen  into  temporary  distress  is,  of  course,  the  manifest 
duty  and  privilege  of  every  local  chiurch.     Among  the  relations 


288  The  Modern  Church  ^''"^'^ 

the  church  ought  to  sustain  toward  the  larger  public  charities 
the  following  may  be  specified: 

{!)  The  churches  should  learn  that  most  cases  of  poverty 
originate  in  social  wrongs  and  social  neglects;  that  these  causes 
must  be  carefully  studied  before  adequate  remedies  can  be 
devised;  that  lavish  expenditures  for  relief  are  worse  than  use- 
less so  long  as  the  causes  that  produce  poverty  are  allowed  to 
operate  unchecked;  and  that  the  ultimate  aim  in  all  dealings 
with  the  poverty  problem,  should  be  prevention  rather  than 
cure. 

{2)  The  churches  should  discoiu-age  promiscuous  benevo- 
lence. Nothing  presents  so  many  temptations  to  untruthful- 
ness, hypocrisy,  and  fraud,  and  so  quickly  drags  people  down 
into  the  pauper  class  as  dangling  before  them  the  possibility  of 
living  on  doles.  Poverty  is  not  merely  an  economic,  but  a 
perilous  moral  evil.  Even  when  it  is  primarily  due  to  misfor- 
ttme  and  tmemployment,  it  leads  to  weakness  of  character,  loss 
of  self-respect,  vice,  and  disease,  and  must  be  treated  with  a 
view  to  increasing  moral  strength  as  well  as  resource  and  self- 
reliance. 

{3)  The  churches  should  understand  that  effective  dealing 
with  poverty  can  be  tmdertaken  only  by  secular  organizations 
provided  with  sufficient  funds,  and  eqtdpped  with  a  sufficient 
body  of  trained  workers.  Disorganization  and  ignorance  are 
as  fatal  in  philanthropy  as  in  business. 

{Jf)  The  churches,  therefore,  should  avoid  starting  charity 
organizations  of  their  own  until  they  have  done  all  in  their 
power  to  assist  those  already  in  operation.  Help  should  be 
given  to  secular  organization,  not  only  financially,  but  by  a 
cordial  recognition  of  the  good  work  being  done  by  them  and 
by  friendly  co-operation.  At  the  same  time  the  churches  must 
understand  that  all  charity  work  cannot  be  done  by  machinery. 
Direct  personal  sympathy  and  generosity  with  money  are  still 
important  factors  in  the  problem. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Peabody:  Jestis  Christ  and  the  Social  Question,  pp.  226-266.  (2) 
Ely:  Outlines  of  Economics,  pp.  329-334.  (3)  Bosanquet:  Rich  and  Poor^ 
pp.  10-74.  (Ji)  Brackett:  Supervision  and  Education  in  Charity.  (5) 
Rogers:  Charitable  Relief.  (6)  Rogers:  Circumstances  or  Character?  (7) 
Devine:  The  Practice  of  Charity.  {8)  The  American  Year  Book  for  1913, 
pp.  457-462. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  How  are  race  antagonisms  shown  in  this  country? 

2.  What  gives  rise  to  race  antagonisms? 


Foriy.five  ^y  ChuTck  and  Public  Charities  289 

3.  Why  is  the  immigration  of   Asiatics  vigorously  opposed  in  certain 
parts  of  our  country? 

4.  What  can  the  churches  do  to  mitigate  these  hostile  feelings? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  How  did  Paul's  Gentile  churches  show  their  sympathy  for  the  mother 
church  in  Jerusalem? 


2.  What  was  the  popular  feeling  toward  the  poor  in  heathen  Rome? 


3.  How  has  the  Christian  spirit  shown  itself  in  subsequent  ages? 


4.  How  does  the  Christian  spirit  influence  public  charities  today? 


5.  What  are  some  of  the  perils  that  attend  indiscriminate  giving  of 
alms? 


6.  Why  has  the  industrial  revolution  increased  poverty? 


7.  Why  is  the  poverty  problem  a  difficult  and  dangerous  one  for  the 
churches  to  handle? 


8.  What  should  be  the  ultimate  purpose  of  all  charity  work? 


9.  What  forms  of  charity  should  the  churches  discourage? 


290  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^°« 

10.  What  attitude  should  the  churches  take  toward  secular  charity 
organizations? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Can  you  form  an  estimate  of  the  number  of  unemployed  in  your 
neighborhood?     Is  it  difficult  or  impossible  for  them  to  obtain  work? 

2.  What  is  the  number  of  persons  in  your  town,  ward  or  parish  who  are 
assisted  by  public  charities? 

3.  What  organizations  have  you  for  ministering  to  the  poor? 

4.  Is  relief  work  done  by  persons  specially  educated  for  it,  or  by  political 
appointees? 

5.  How  are  the  churches  around  you  showing  their  interest  in  the  poor? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Is  hospital  work  the  best  form  of  public  charity  that  can  be  under- 
taken by  churches? 

2.  How  can  church  members  best  exert  their  personal  influence  in  deal- 
ing with  the  problem  of  poverty  in  your  community  ? 


Lesson  46.    RECENT  PHASES  OF  THE  LIQUOR 
QUESTION. 

Scripture  Reading:  Setting  Traps  for  Men.     Jeremiah  5:26--31. 

Note  1.  The  Transfer  of  Emphasis.  A  generation  ago  much 
emphasis  was  placed  on  the  Bible  argument  against  the  abuse 
of  strong  drink.  The  fact  that  the  Bible  in  many  instances 
speaks  approvingly  of  a  moderate  use  of  wine  was  explained  on 
the  grotmd  that  the  ancients  had  two  kinds,  one  strong  and 
intoxicating,  and  the  other  sweet  and  harmless.  Lengthy  argu- 
ments were  advanced  to  prove  that  the  wine  made  at  Cana  was 
of  the  latter  kind.  Both  of  these  positions  have  been  abandoned 
by  modem  Bibhcal  scholars  as  incapable  of  proof,  and  as 
jeopardizing  rather  than  aiding  the  temperance  cause.  Intelli- 
gent advocates  of  temperance  freely  admit  the  intoxicating 
quaHty  of  all  BibHcal  wines,  and  groimd  the  modem  total 
abstinence  movement  on  the  necessities  developed  by  wholly 
different  modem  conditions. 

The  prevailing  tendency  at  the  present  time  is  to  place  the 
weightier  emphasis  on  physiological  and  economic  argimients. 
A  presentation  of  the  results  of  scientific  study  of  the  effects  of 
alcohol,  even  in  small  quantities,  are  displacing  the  harrowing 
stories  of  domestic  tragedies  that  have  formed  the  staple  of 


Forty-six  Recent  Pliases  of  the  Liquor  Question  291 

Sunday-school  instruction.  The  impassioned  stereotyped  plat- 
form appeal  is  giving  place  to  the  larger  question  whether  our 
social  structure,  in  addition  to  its  many  other  problems,  ought 
to  be  made  to  carry  the  enormous  burden  of  a  traffic  that 
annually  takes  from  the  American  people  a  sum  about  equal 
to  the  total  receipts  of  all  the  railways,  and  not  only  makes  no 
return  of  value,  but  leaves  in  its  train  a  line  of  paupers  and 
criminals  who  cost  the  sober  population  of  the  coimtry  $800,- 
000,000  a  year.  From  whatever  point  of  view  the  drink  traffic 
is  studied,  it  looms  up  as  a  stupendous  economic  and  social  evil. 

Note  2.    The  Changing  Attitude  of  the  Medical  Profession. 

Not  long  ago,  alcoholic  stimulants  were  freely  used  in  medical 
practice  on  the  theory  that  they  imparted  strength,  warded  off 
perils,  and  promoted  recovery.  Today  they  have  been  wholly 
discarded  by  a  large  number  of  the  most  reputable  physicians, 
and  entirely  banished  from  many  hospitals.  Where  they  are 
retained  they  are  used  in  greatly  diminished  quantities.  Fur- 
thermore, whereas  medical  men  formerly  regarded  temperance 
work  with  great  indifference,  now  they  are  rapidly  becoming 
interested  and  taking  an  active  part.  This  is  no  doubt  due,  in 
part  at  least,  to  the  accumulating  proofs  that  alcohol,  even  in 
minute  doses,  acts  as  a  poison. 

Note  3.  The  Increasing  Menace  of  the  Saloon.  Not  only 
as  a  destroyer  of  character,  homes,  health  and  wealth,  and  as  a 
close  ally  of  gambling  and  prostitution  does  the  saloon  threaten 
the  welfare  of  the  commimity,  but  in  many  instances  it  becomes 
a  hotbed  of  crime.  There  is  no  form  of  business  permitted  or 
legalized  by  the  State  that  is  so  defiant  of  law  as  the  Hquor 
traffic,  and  naturally  it  attracts  lawbreakers.  Its  pernicious 
influence  in  poHtics  makes  decent  government  next  to  impossible. 
The  saloon  is  constantly  spoken  of  as  "  the  poor  man's  club," 
and  beautiful  pictures  are  drawn  of  its  ministry  to  the  social 
instincts  of  its  patrons.  But,  granting  all  that  can  be  said  in 
its  favor,  the  fact  still  remains  that  it  is  a  demoralizing  influence 
wherever  it  is  planted.  This  fact  is  abundantly  proved  by  the 
increasing  restrictions  by  which  the  business  is  surroimded. 
No  legitimate  business  is  so  harassed  by  legal  restraints  and  so 
subjected  to  police  surveillance.  From  large  portions  of  the 
coimtry  the  saloon  has  been  entirely  banished.  Maine  has  had 
a  prohibition  law  since  1846.  In  the  cities,  where  it  is  chiefly 
evaded,  there  are  no  communities  to  be  compared  with  what 
may  be  seen  in  every  city  under  license.     Those  who  are 


292  The  Modern  Church  ^^^•^''« 

familiar  with  conditions  throughout  the  State  know  that  the 
children  of  Maine  as  a  whole  are  free  from  the  sights  of  saloons 
and  of  drunkenness.  Kansas,  too,  has  shut  up  the  saloon,  with 
the  result  that  in  1913,  of  105  counties  in  the  State,  96  have  no 
inebriates,  87  no  insane,  54  no  feebleminded,  53  no  inmates  of 
jails,  and  38  no  people  on  the  poor  farms.  Prohibition  may 
not  in  every  instance  eradicate  the  evil,  especially  in  the  cities, 
but  *'  Kansas  with  prohibition,"  says  Governor  Stubbs,  **  has 
more  sobriety  and  less  intemperance  and  its  evil  results  than 
any  other  State  ever  had. "  Arkansas,  while  permitting  licensed 
saloons,  has  made  the  obtaining  of  a  license  practically  impos- 
sible. To  open  a  saloon  after  January  1,  1914,  "  a  petition  to 
the  Coimty  Judge  must  be  signed  by  a  majority  of  all  the  adult 
citizens  in  the  commimity,  men  and  women,  and  the  names  of 
the  signers  must  be  printed  twice  in  some  local  paper.  There 
are  many  persons  who  might  sign  a  petition  for  a  saloon;  but 
to  have  their  names  published  as  having  done  so  is  a  different 
matter.  The  Masonic  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State  has  declared 
it  a  Masonic  offense  to  sign  a  petition  for  a  saloon,  and  many 
churches  have  declared  that  such  an  act  would  lead  to 
expulsion." 

Note  4.    The  Outspoken  Purpose  of  Liquor  Dealers.    The 

rapidly  extending  "  dry  "  sections  of  the  United  States,  by  the 
exclusion  of  saloons  have  aroused  the  promoters  of  the  traffic 
to  nation-wide  efforts  and  tmlimited  expenditures  to  thwart 
hostile  legislation,  to  circumvent  the  law  when  they  could  not 
prevent  its  enactment,  and  through  the  newspapers  to  create 
public  sentiment  against  prohibition.  They  even  advocate 
as  high  a  license  as  the  traffic  will  bear.  The  Bar,  a  prominent 
liquor  organ,  speaking  of  the  taxpayers,  says:  "  A  good  high 
Hcense  to  help  pay  their  taxes  will  pacify  their  conscience; 
nothing  else  will."  The  imderlying.  purpose  of  the  business  has 
changed  from  supplying  a  demand  to  creating  it.  This  purpose 
was  stated  with  brutal  frankness  by  an  officer  of  the  Ohio  State 
Liquor  League  who  wrote: 

"  The  success  of  our  business  is  largely  dependent  upon  the 
creation  of  an  appetite  for  drink.  Men  who  drinl^  liquors,  like 
others,  will  die.  The  open  field  for  the  creation  of  this  appetite 
is  among  the  boys.  After  men  are  grown,  and  their  habits 
formed,  they  rarely  change.  It  will  be  needful,  therefore,  that 
missionary  work  be  done  among  the  boys.     I  make  the  sugges- 


Forty-six  Receut  Pliases  oj  the  Liquor  Question  293 

tion  that  nickels  expended  in  treats  to  boys  now,  will  return  in 
dollars  to  your  tills,  after  the  appetites  are  formed." 

Note  also  the  remark  of  the  president  of  the  National  Liquor 
Dealers'  Association:  "  I  want  to  urge  upon  this  Association 
the  necessity  of  closer  organization  to  educate  recruits  for  our 
business."  Had  Satan  been  invited  to  address  the  Association, 
he  would  have  said  the  same. 

Note  5.    Increased  Scientific  Study  of  Intemperance.     Here 

again  we  see  the  superiority  of  prevention  over  cure.  As  with 
diseases  and  poverty,  efforts  are  directed  to  discovering  their 
causes,  in  order  that  by  their  removal  the  evils  themselves  may 
be  checked,  so  students  are  patiently  investigating  the  social 
conditions  that  promote  intemperance.  It  has  long  been 
noticed  that  saloons  flourish  most  in  districts  inhabited  by  the 
very  poor.  Poverty,  insufficient  nourishment,  wretched  homes, 
drive  people  to  the  saloons,  and  to  drown  their  misery  in  drink. 
But  poverty  itself  is  directly  connected  with  the  industrial 
problem.  Moreover,  it  is  fotmd  where  the  twelve-hour  day 
prevails  that  it  leaves  the  workmen  exhausted  in  body  and 
mind,  and  incapable  of  finding  enjoyment  except  in  alcoholic 
stimulants.  Wherever  the  eight-hoiu-  day  has  displaced  the 
longer  day,  intemperance  has  greatly  decreased. 

Note  6.     Consolidating  the  Temperance  Forces.    As  in  the 

chiirch  the  multiplication  of  sects  has  prevented  united  opposi- 
tion to  the  common  foe,  so,  in  the  fight  against  the  liquor  traffic 
with  its  solid  front,  the  most  discouraging  feature  has  been  the 
indisposition  of  the  niimerous  forces  to  co-operate  one  with 
another.  Each  organization,  big  or  little,  has  fought  alone, 
with  the  result  of  frequent  defeats.  The  most  promising  sign  of 
progress  witnessed  for  many  a  year  was  the  twentieth  anni- 
versary of  the  Anti-Saloon  League  held  in  Columbus,  Ohio, 
November  10-13,  1913.  Thirty-eight  States  were  represented, 
and  nearly  every  temperance  organization  in  the  country  sent 
its  delegates.  All  parties,  races,  organizations  and  religions 
were  united  in  the  common  cause.  Over  six  thousand  were 
present  from  outside  Ohio.  The  principles  of  the  Anti-Saloon 
League  were  unanimously  endorsed  by  all  the  parties  and  organ- 
izations represented.  This  was  the  first  time  in  the  history  of 
the  temperance  movement  in  this  country  that  the  extremes 
had  been  brought  together.  The  principle  of  national  prohi- 
bition was  endorsed,  and  a  committee  of  one  thotisand  appointed 
to  carry  a  petition  to  that  effect  to  Washington,     This  action 


294  The  Modern  Church  ^"^«« 

did  not  mean  that  the  various  organizations  are  to  abandon 
their  distinctive  methods  of  work,  but  that  they  are  imited  by  a 
common  spirit  for  a  common  end.  It  does  mean  that  when  the 
time  has  come  for  a  final  assault  on  the  entrenchments  of  the 
liquor  traffic  the  various  divisions  will  engage  as  one  great 
army. 

Note  7.  The  Work  of  the  Church.  As  in  the  past,  so  now, 
and  till  the  victory  is  won,  the  churches  must  be  leaders  in  the 
temperance  reform.  Almost  all  modem  movements  and 
organizations  opposed  to  the  liquor  traffic,  except  the  Washing- 
tonian,  have  been  inspired  by  the  church.  The  Woman's 
Christian  Temperance  Union,  the  Anti-Saloon  League,  and  the 
prohibition  party  are  largely,  if  not  wholly,  composed  of  church 
members.  The  Roman  Catholic  Total  Abstinence  Societies 
are  doing  an  important  work,  and  are  inspired  by  the  example  of 
Pope  Pius  X  who  is  himself  a  total  abstainer^  and  is  reported 
to  be  dispersing  the  contents  of  the  famous  wine  cellars  in  the 
Vatican.  The  great  function  of  the  churches  in  this  work  is  to 
assist  in  creating  a  public  opinion  that  will  not  only  demand  the 
most  stringent  legislation  against  the  saloons,  but  will  insist  on 
the  enforcement  of  the  law  to  the  last  letter.  By  their  preach- 
ing in  favor  of  social  righteousness  and  against  social  wrongs 
they  must  overcome  the  indifference  of  the  good  people  whose 
inertia  makes  these  wrongs  possible. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{!)  Barker:  The  Saloon  Problem  and  Social  Reform.  {2)  Koren:  Eco- 
nomic A  spects  of  the  Liquor  Problem;  Calkins :  Substitutes  for  the  Saloon;  both 
of  these  volumes  are  results  of  investigations  made  for  The  Committee  of 
Fifty  organized  in  1893  "  to  secure  a  body  of  facts  which  may  serve  as  a 
basis  for  intelligent  public  and  private  opinion."  (5)  Warner:  Social 
Welfare  and  the  Liquor  Problem. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  has  been  the  persistent  attitude  of  the  church  toward  the  poor? 

2.  Why  should  indiscriminate  charity  be  condemned? 

3.  Explain  how  the  industrial  revolution  has  led  to  a  great  increase  of 
poverty  during  the  last  century. 

4.  Mention  some  of  the  relations  the  churches  should  sustain  toward 
public  charities. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Why  is  less  emphasis  now  placed  on  the  Biblical  argument  for  tem- 
perance than  formerly? 


Forty-Six  Recent  Phases  of  the  Liquor  Question  295 

2.  Where  is  the  emphasis  now  placed? 


3.  How  has  the  attitude  of  medical  men  changed  in  respect  to  the  use  of 
alcohol? 


4.  Why  is  the  saloon  a  menace  to  its  surrounding  population? 


5.  What  shows  that  this  menace  is  clearly  recognized  i 


6.  To  what  extent  has  State  prohibition  succeeded  in  Maine  and  Kansas? 


7.  What  shows  that  the  liquor  traffic  thrives  on  the  deliberate  creation 
of  an  appetite  for  intoxicants  among  the  young? 


8.  What  steps  are  taken  for  checking  the  liquor  traffic? 


9.  What  great  weakness  in  the  opposing  forces  has  now  been  removed? 


10.  What  is  the  chief  duty  of  the  churches  in  respect  to  the  liquor 
question? 


296  The  Modern  Church  •  ^"^o« 

SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  is  the  position  of  your  community  toward  the  Hquor  traffic, 
Ucense  or  no  Hcense?  If  no  license,  how  is  the  law  enforced?  If  license, 
how  many  saloons  are  there?  What  regulations  and  restrictions  are  im- 
posed upon  them?     By  whom  are  they  chiefly  patronized? 

2.  If  a  community  votes  in  favor  of  license,  which  is  the  better  for  the 
common  welfare,  high  license  or  low?  Note  that  the  legislative  committee 
of  the  Allied  Temperance  Organizations  of  Massachusetts  have  introduced 
a  bill  into  the  legislature  (1914)  reducing  the  fee  for  a  first-class  license  from 
"  not  less  than  one  thousand  dollars  "  to  "  not  more  than  fifty  dollars." 
Compare  this  action  with  the  position  of  the  liquor  dealers  themselves  as 
stated  in  Note  4. 

3.  What  is  meant  by  local  option,  and  what  is  its  value  in  dealing  with 
the  saloon? 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

What  is  the  duty  of  each  member  of  this  class  in  respect  to  the  liquor 
question? 


Lesson  47.     JUVENILE  LAWBREAKERS. 

Scripture  Reading:  Elisha  Mocked  by  Lads  of  Bethel.     2  Kings  2:  23-25. 

Note  1.  The  Bad  Boys  and  the  Bears.  Of  course,  it  was 
wrong  for  the  gang  in  Bethel  to  rush  out  when  they  saw  the 
aged  prophet  toiHng  up  the  hill  and  follow  him  hooting,  **  Go 
up,  thou  baldhead."  It  was  not  only  disrespectful,  but  it  was 
a  violation  of  Israel's  law  which  said,  "  Thou  shalt  rise  up  be- 
fore the  hoary  head,  and  honor  the  face  of  the  old  man,  and  thou 
shalt  fear  thy  God  "  (Lev.  19:  32).  To  violate  this  law  was  as 
bad  as  robbing  an  orchard  or  getting  money  by  lying.  Then, 
too,  it  was  natural  for  Elisha  to  get  angry  and  curse  the  hood- 
lums. Not  even  a  prophet  likes  being  twitted  for  having  lost 
his  hair.  And  so,  because  the  boys  did  not  fear  God  and  honor 
his  prophet,  we  are  told  that  two  she-bears  in  the  woods  close  by, 
aroused  by  their  cries  and  thinking  perhaps  they  were  come  out 
to  rob  them  of  their  cubs,  rushed  out  and  "  tare  forty  and  two 
of  them." 

This  is  one  of  the  stories  that  in  after  years  grew  up  about 
Elisha.  It  was  doubtless  told  to  children  to  teach  them  not 
to  ridicule  old  people  because  of  their  infirmities.  Its  interest 
for  us  lies  in  its  illustrating  how  yoimg  delinquents  were  dealt 
with  imtil  quite  recently.  A  century  ago  if  a  boy  had  taken  a 
horse  and  wagon  for  a  drive,  he  would  have  been  hung  as  the 
law  prescribed.  The  judge  would  not  have  stopped  to  inquire 
whether  the  act  was  that  of  a  professional  horse-thief  or  a  mere 


Forty-seven  Juvemle  Lawbreakers  297 

youthful  prank.  The  boy's  point  of  view  would  not  have  been 
:onsidered.  If  Elisha  could  have  had  a  few  lessons  from  Judge 
Ben  B.  Lindsey  of  the  famous  Juvenile  Court  in  Denver, 'he 
would  probably  in  fifteen  minutes  have  had  the  lads  begging  his 
pardon,  and  escorting  him  in  triumph  into  Bethel. 

Note  2.     Causes  that  Make  for  Youthful  Delinquency.    The 

offenses  for  which  children  are  brought  into  the  courts  are 
usually  of  a  trivial  nature,  often  prompted  by  an  unthinking 
spirit  of  mischief  or  by  conditions  and  training  for  which  they 
are  not  responsible.  Few  are  bom  criminals.  Probably  not 
more  than  two  per  cent  go  wrong  because  of  inborn  incurable 
instincts.  The  most  frequent  initial  cause  is  the  lack  of  a  good 
home  and  wise  parental  training.  Many  homes,  especially  in 
the  congested  city  slinns,  are  deplorably  bad.  Unemployment 
sinks  the  parents  into  poverty,  poverty  drives  to  drink,  and 
drink  aggravates  the  poverty.  The  children  are  turned  into 
the  streets  without  proper  food  or  clothing.  Here  they  quickly 
learn  the  vices  inseparable  from  street  life  and  vicious  compan- 
ions. Almost  before  they  know  it,  offenses  have  been  com- 
mitted that  bring  them  into  court. 

Not  all,  and  perhaps  not  even  the  worst,  of  juvenile  law- 
breakers are  bred  in  city  slums.  Any  one.  who  reads  even 
casually  the  news  columns  of  the  daily  papers  must  have  been 
struck  by  the  youthfulness  of  many  of  the  criminals.  Some  of 
the  most  daring  and  desperate  crimes  are  committed  by  boys 
from  sixteen  to  eighteen  years  of  age.  Sometimes  out  of  a  list 
of  forty  or  fifty  brought  in  of  a  morning  before  a  municipal 
court  not  one  will  be  over  twenty  years  of  age.  The  situation 
becomes  all  the  more  perplexing  when  we  learn  that  many 
of  them  are  the  sons  of  respectable  and  hardworking  parents. 
Judge  Thomas  C.  O' Sullivan  of  the  Court  of  General  Sessions 
of  New  York  City,  assigns  the  following  among  the  reasons  why 
so  large  a  nimiber  of  mere  youths  go  wrong : 

"  A  lack  of  religious  or  moral  instruction  in  the  schools. 

'*  A  disinclination  on  the  part  of  the  yoimg  men  to  work, 
partly  because  of  their  having  been  spoiled  at  home,  and  partly 
because  of  their  reahzation  of-  the  inadequacy  of  the  wages 
they  will  get  in  the  trades. 

**  Bad  associations  on  the  streets  at  night." 

A  boy  who  has  received  no  religious  instruction  in  his  home 
and  none  in  the  chirrch  school,  who  leaves  school  without  hav- 
ing learned  even  the  elements  of  a  self-supporting  trade,  is 


298  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^o« 

badly  handicapped  in  his  start  in  life.  Never  having  been 
trained  to  steady  work,  he  finds  it  irksome.  When  he  has  once 
learned  that  living  by  his  wits  at  the  expense  of  others  is  easier 
than  by  steady  employment  at  low  pay,  he  has  started  on  the 
career  of  a  vagabond,  criminal  and  social  parasite. 

The  demoralizing  influence  of  city  life  is  a  large  factor  in 
producing  juvenile  delinquency,  which  increases  in  direct 
proportion  to  the  density  of  the  population.  Parents  cannot 
easily  keep  track  of  their  children,  and  the  opportunities  to 
steal  offered  by  the  free  exposure  of  goods  and  the  stimulus  of 
vicious  gangs  present  strong  temptations  to  wrongdoing.  Of 
all  the  transgressors  brought  before  the  courts,  less  than  two 
per  cent  come  from  the  open  country,  while  of  city  boys  between 
the  ages  of  ten  and  sixteen,  twenty  per  cent  become  offenders. 

Note  3.    The  Former  Treatment  of  Juvenile  Lawbreakers. 

Until  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  no  efforts  were 
made  to  discriminate  between  youthful  offenders  and  mature 
malefactors,  or  between  insanity,  crime,  and  mere  delinquency. 
A  violation  of  the  law  was  a  crime,  and  was  in  every  case  assumed 
to  be  due  to  a  vicious  disposition,  and  hence  to  be  suppressed 
by  severe  punishment.  The  obvious  fact  was  that  an  offense 
had  been  committed  against  society  and  society  demanded 
satisfaction.  The  reformation  of  the  offender  was  a  minor 
consideration.  If  barbarous  pimishments  could  deter  him 
from  further  depredations,  well  and  good.  If  not,  it  was  no 
concern  of  society.  Naturally  prisons  were  overcrowded  and 
filthy,  often  sending  out  pestilential  fevers  on  the  surrounding 
country.  The  treatment  of  prisoners  was  brutal.  Young  boys 
and  girls  were  herded  with  the  most  degraded  criminals.  Pun- 
ishments were  inhuman.  A  century  ago  two  hundred  and 
twenty-two  offenses  were  punished  by  death.  They  ranged 
from  treason  and  murder  down  to  the  stealing  of  a  sheep.  As 
late  as  1833  a  boy  of  only  nine  years  was  sentenced  to  death, 
though  not  executed,  for  stealing  four  cents'  worth  of  paint 
from  a  shop  window.  About  the  same  time  two  boys  were 
kept  in  jail  fifty-one  days  before  trial  and  then  sentenced  to 
seven  years  of  transportation  to  a  penal  colony  for  stealing  a 
pair  of  shoes.  Such  cruelties,  instead  of  deterring  young 
persons  from  crime,  incited  them  to  it.  If  they  were  to  be 
banished  or  himg  for  a  trifling  misdemeanor,  they  felt  they  might 
as  well  engage  in  crimes  that  were  worth  while.  The  result 
was  that  the  coimtry  and  the  cities  were  overnm  with  young 


Forty-seven  JuvemU  Lawbreakers  299 

desperadoes  who  in  many  instances  terrorized  large  communi- 
ties. The  cruelty  and  stupidity  with  which  punishments  were 
meted  out  to  young  children  in  precisely  the  same  degree  as  to 
the  most  depraved  scoundrels  is  almost  imbelievable.  The 
whole  system  of  dealing  with  children  rested  on  the  supposition 
that  they  were  diminutive  adults. 

Note  4.    The   New   Treatment   of   Juvenile   Lawbreakers. 

The  revolutionary  changes  in  the  treatment  of  juvenile  delin- 
quents that  have  taken  place  during  the  past  century  rest 
on  a  recognition  of  the  following  principles: 

{1)  That  childhood  in  its  essential  characteristics  differs 
radically  from  adult  life.  A  careful  study  of  childhood  and 
adolescence,  of  the  awakening  physical,  mental,  and  spiritual 
powers,  of  the  shifting  instincts  and  impulses,  shows  the  neces- 
sity of  a  close  adaptation  of  the  treatment  not  only  to  the  suc- 
cessive stages  of  this  development,  but  to  the  special  conditions 
and  needs  of  each  individual  case. 

{2)  That  the  environment  of  the  child  in  its  home  and  out- 
side is  usually  a  larger  factor  in  determining  the  bent  of  the 
child  toward  good  or  evil  than  inherited  impulses  or  self-will; 
and  that  where  salutary  home  influences  are  lacking,  the  re- 
sponsibility of  providing  them  rests  on  the  commimity  or  the 
State. 

{3)  That  delinquency  and  crime  are  not  identical.  To  treat 
a  juvenile  offender  in  the  same  manner  as  a  matiire  and  hard- 
ened criminal  is  not  only  to  commit  an  unpardonable  sin  against 
the  child  itself,  but  to  burden  society  with  a  wrecked  life  that 
might  easily  have  been  saved  and  made  useful. 

(4)  That  the  great  mass  of  children  who  do  wrong  do  so  in 
consequence  of  the  misdirection  of  normal  impulses.  Experi- 
ence shows  that  ninety  per  cent  or  more,  whose  lives  would 
have  been  irretrievably  wrecked  imder  the  old  system,  have 
latent  possibilities  that  if  properly  fostered  can  and  will  give 
them  honorable  places  in  the  social  ranks. 

{5)  That  any  treatment  which  aims  at  punishment  rather  than 
education  and  reform  is  foolish  and  useless.  All  treatment 
should  be  made  to  fit  the  offender  rather  than  the  offense. 

Note  5.  Modem  Remedial  Measures.  One  of  the  first 
steps  taken  after  improving  to  some  extent  the  prison  buildings 
was  the  segregation  of  young  culprits  in  reformatories  especially 
established  for  their  benefit.  They  were  a  great  improvement 
on  the  former  prison,  but  the  prison  idea  and  the  prison  treat- 


300  The  Modern  Church  ^^^'^"^ 

ment  were  still  there.  Even  when  they  came  to  be  adminis- 
tered on  more  himiane  lines,  experience  proved  that  reform  was 
largely  checked  through  habits  formed  by  institutional  life 
and  by  the  branding  of  the  delinquents  as  criminals  when  they 
tried  to  get  back  into  society.  No  attempts  to  free  these  insti- 
tutions from  the  evils  inherent  in  them  have  succeeded.  Even 
when  the  name  is  changed  to  "  school,"  "  asylum,"  "  farm,"  or 
"  republic,"  or  when  the  big  institution  is  broken  up  into  smaller 
houses,  cottages,  or  homes,  the  number  of  those  not  redeemed 
averages  for  the  United  States  forty-four  per  cent. 

The  best  results  have  been  attained  by  placing  normal  offend- 
ers singly  in  homes,  "  foster  homes  "  as  they  are  called,  where 
they  enjoy  a  genuine  home-life  and  receive  the  care  and  guidance 
of  husband  and  wife  with  opportunities  for  steady  work  and 
education.  Strict  supervision  of  the  ward  or  foster-child,  by 
an  agent  of  the  institution  by  which  it  was  placed  out  is  main- 
tained. The  agent  has  full  power  to  transfer  the  child  when  he 
thinks  best. 

A  beautiful  illustration  of  how  sympathy  and  service  can  be 
enlisted  in  saving  young  delinquents  from  criminal  careers  is 
seen  in  the  Big  Brother  Movement.  In  the  Youths'  Companion 
of  December  12,  1912,  Jacob  Riis  gives  an  account  of  its  origin. 
Ernest  K.  Coulter,  then  clerk  of  the  Juvenile  Court  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  was  invited  to  address  the  Men's  Club  at  the 
Central  Presbyterian  Church.  He  told  most  impressively  how 
a  little  personal  supervision  was  all  that  most  boys  needed  to 
keep  them  straight,  even  in  the  bad  surroundings  where  they 
lived.  "  Can  nothing  be  done?  "  asked  one  of  the  forty  men  at 
the  tables.  "  If  each  of  you  here  will  be  the  friend  of  one  boy, 
and  will  show  him  that  some  one  really  cares  about  him,  forty 
boys  will  have  their  chance,"  was  the  reply.  The  idea  caught 
the  minds  and  hearts  of  those  business  men,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
forty  Big  Brothers  had  enlisted  in  a  movement  that  since  then 
has  spread  far  and  wide  and  has  been  the  means  of  helping 
thousands  of  boys,  simply  by  the  law  of  love,  to  become  valuable 
members  of  society. 

The  most  important  development  in  the  legal  method  of 
handling  delinquents  has  been  the  establishment  of  juvenile 
courts  in  which  the  children's  cases  are  tried  entirely  apart 
from  those  of  adult  prisoners.  The  judge  exercises  not  only 
judicial  functions,  but  takes  the  place  of  a  wise  father  who, 
chiefly  outside  of  the  court,  wins  the  confidence  of  the  boy  or 
girl,    and   gives   sympathy,    advice,    and   encouragement.     Of 


Porty-seven  JuvenUe  Lawbreakers  301 

these  courts,  the  most  widely  known  is  that  presided  over  by 
Judge  Lindsey  at  Denver.  "  He  is  State  father  to  the  children 
and  his  record  of  redemption  is  the  best  in  the  world. ' ' 

A  large  proportion  of  the  children  brought  into  court  for  the 
first  time  have  been  guilty  only  of  a  petty  theft  or  mischievous 
pranlc,  or  even  so  small  an  offense  as  playing  baseball  on  the 
street,  which  is  no  sign  of  a  vicious  nature.  If  properly  treated, 
warned,  and  placed  on  their  good  behavior,  they  w^ould  never 
be  found  there  again.  Instead  of  sending  them  to  reform 
schools,  the  judge  has  the  option  of  placing  them  under  the 
supervision  of  probation  officers  who  look  after  them  as  long  as 
may  be  necessary.  More  than  half  the  children  who  are  placed 
under  competent  probation  officers  are  never  seen  in  court 
again. 

Finally,  a  great  gain  has  been  made  by  the  State  holding  the 
parents  responsible  for  the  upbringing  of  the  child  in  all  cases 
where  that  is  at  all  possible.  The  child's  own  home  and  its 
own  parents  are  its  normal  protectors  and  guides.  Where 
through  poverty,  vice,  or  incapacity  the  parental  home  becomes 
a  menace  to  the  child's  welfare,  it  is  the  duty  and  privilege  of 
the  State  to  seek  another  where  the  child  may  grow  up  under 
wholesome  influences. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Travis:  The  Young  Malefactor.  {2)  Russell  and  Rigby:  The  Mak- 
ing of  the  Criminal.  (5)  Russell:  Yotmg  Gaol- Birds.  (4)  George  and 
Stowe:  Citizens  Made  and  Remade.  (5)  Hall:  Adolescence,  Vol.  I,  ch.  5 
on  "  Juvenile  Faults,  Immoralities  and  Crimes."  (6)  Barrows:  Children's 
Courts  in  the  United  States.  (7)  Lindsey:  "  My  Experience  with  Boys  " 
in  Ladies'  Home  Journal,  October,  1906,  p.  37, 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  In  arguments  for  temperance,  where  is  the  chief  emphasis  placed  at 
the  present  time? 

2.  What  is  the  increasing  impression  respecting  the  saloon? 

3.  In  view  of  the  increasing  "  dry  "  area  in  the  United  States,  to  what 
end  are  the  liquor  interests  turning  their  energies? 

4.  What  encouraging  forward  movement  has  recently  been  made  by  the 
temperance  forces? 

5.  What  is  still  the  main  function  of  the  churches  respecting  temperance? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  more  frequent  causes  of  juvenile  delinquency? 


302  The  Modern  Church  ^"^«" 

2.  What  causes  operate  where  poverty  is  not  the  chief? 


3.  How  does  the  city  compare  with  the  country  as  a  breeder  of  dehn- 
quents? 


4.  Describe  the  old  way  of  handHng  young  offenders. 


5.  What  was  the  effect  of  the  old  method  on  the  offenders? 


6.  Mention  some  of  the  principles  that  have  revolutionized  the  modern 
treatment  of  juvenile  lawbreakers. 


7.  What  are  the  advantages  and  the  disadvantages  of  reformatories? 


8.  What  superior  advantages  result  from  the  placing-out  system? 


9.  How  has  the  legal  handling  of  dehnquents  been  improved? 


10.  What  is  meant  by  the  probation  system? 


11.  Where  do  modern  methods  now  place  the  responsibility? 


Forty-eight  PHsoHS  and  PHsoners  303 

SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  In  a  leading  city  newspaper  scan  the  news  columns  and  court  records 
for  a  week  and  note  what  per  cent  of  those  arrested  are  under  twenty  years. 

2.  If  you  live  in  a  city,  find  out  from  the  policeman  on  your  beat  which 
give  him  the  more  trouble,  youths  or  adults,  and  the  most  frequent  offenses. 

3.  What  is  done  with  a  boy  or  girl  in  your  neighborhood  who  may  be 
arrested  for  petty  theft? 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

Suppose  a  member  of  your  class  should  "  borrow  "  a  hundred  dollars  of 
his  employer's  money  without  leave,  and  be  sentenced  to  a  year  at  a  re- 
formatory, how  would  you  treat  him  while  he  is  there  and  when  he  returns? 


Lesson  48.    PRISONS  AND  PRISONERS. 

Scripture  Reading:  The  Parable  of  the  Unjust  Steward.     Mt.  18:  23-35. 

Note  1.  The  Adult  Criminal.  So  long  as  the  administra- 
tion of  justice,  or  more  often  injustice,  was  based  on  the  theory 
that  the  child  is  a  pigmy  man,  no  legal  distinction  was  made 
between  him  and  the  adult.  We  now  know  that  child  life  in 
its  essential  features  is  radically  different  from  adult  life.  A 
child  and  an  adult  may  each  be  guilty  of  setting  fire  to  a  house. 
The  one  may  have  wanted  merely  to  see  a  big  bonfire ;  the  other, 
if  a  normal  individual,  was  probably  actuated  by  a  distinctly 
criminal  motive,  such  as  a  desire  for  revenge,  plunder,  or  realiz- 
ing a  fire  insurance.  Obviously  the  treatment  of  the  two  must 
differ  as  greatly  as  the  motives.  The  child  had  no  intention  of 
harming  any  one.  The  man  deliberately  violated  laws  estab- 
hshed  for  the  protection  of  propert}^  He  has  not  only 
committed  a  flagrant  offense  against  society  for  which  society 
justly  exacts  punishment,  but  he  has  shown  himself  to  be  a 
menace  to  the  community,  and  to  require  appropriate  treat- 
ment. A  crime,  accordingly,  may  be  defined,  with  Kant,  as 
"  an  act  threatened  by  law  with  punishment."  A  criminal, 
therefore,  is  one  who  wilfully  commits  the  act,  and  who  rightly 
incurs  the  punishment. 

Note  2.  The  Aim  of  Punishment.  When  a  person  strikes 
another,  the  blow  arouses  anger  and  an  impulse  to  strike  a  blow 
in  return  that  will  inflict  equal  or  greater  pain.  Retaliation,  or 
revenge,  is  a  primary  instinct  in  htmianity.  Prehistoric  man 
was  his  own  avenger.     When  society  became  more  unified,  the 


304  The  Modern  Church  ^"^''^ 

resentment  was  shared  by  the  family  and  the  tribe  who  more 
and  more  took  away  from  the  injiired  individual  the  right  of 
private  revenge,  and  took  upon  themselves  the  punishment  of 
the  offender  according  to  customs  that  gradually  hardened  into 
laws.  The  earliest  of  these  laws  was  the  lex  talionis,  or  retri- 
bution in  kind  (see  Exod.  21 :  23-25).  The  same  idea  still  sur- 
vives among  imcivilized  peoples,  who,  in  some  cases,  fail  to 
discriminate  between  accidental  and  intentional  injuries.  A 
curious  illustration  is  related  in  Parkyn's  "  Life  in  Abyssinia  ": 
"  A  boy  who  had  climbed  a  tree  happened  to  fall  down  right  on 
the  head  of  his  little  comrade  standing  below.  The  comrade 
died  immediately,  and  the  imlucky  climber  was  in  consequence 
sentenced  to  be  killed  in  the  same  way  as  he  had  killed  the  other 
boy;  that  is,  the  dead  boy's  brother  should  climb  the  tree  in  his 
turn  and  timible  down  on  the  other's  head  imtil  he  killed  him." 
This  primitive  desire  for  revenge  is  still  the  root  from  which 
springs  criminal  law,  which  is  primarily  an  expression  of  the 
vindictive  feeling  of  society  toward  the  man  who  has  inflicted 
an  injury  upon  it.  When  the  legal  process  is  too  slow  or  un- 
certain to  satisfy  popular  craving  for  vengeance  this  is  apt  to 
find  expression  in  the  form  of  lynching. 

While  the  primary  aim  of  judicial  punishment  from  time  im- 
memorial has  been  retaliation,  a  higher  conception  of  its  pur- 
pose is  now  gaining  groimd  among  advanced  penologists.  The 
spirit  of  revenge  is  explicitly  condemned  by  Christ  (Mt.  5: 
38,  39),  and  it  is  no  less  wrong  when  exhibited  by  a  commimity 
than  by  an  individual.  It  is  not  only  un-Christian,  but  im- 
successful.  Instead  of  reforming  the  offender,  it  confirms  him 
in  his  evil  ways.  Reflection  shows  that  the  main  purpose  of 
judicial  punishment  should  be  the  protection  of  society  against 
a  dangerous  character,  and  that  the  pimishment  should  be  of 
such  form  as  will  most  effectually  do  this.  Four  considerations 
should  converge  in  determining  the  form  of  punishment  in  each 
case. 

(1)  Segregation.  The  most  obvious  and  the  oldest  way  of 
meeting  this  requirement  is  by  separating  the  criminal  from 
his  f  ellowmen  in  such  manner  that  he  will  no  longer  be  in  position 
to  do  harm,  that  is,  by  segregation.  This  takes  two  forms: 
capital  punishment,  which  makes  the  separation  complete  and 
irrevocable;  and  imprisonment,  which  deprives  the  offender  of 
liberty,  either  temporarily  or  for  life. 

(2)  Deterrence.  The  punishment  must  be  of  such  nature  as 
will  tend  to  deter  others  from  similar  criminal  actions.     Mere 


Fort;^^eis}it  Pnsofis  and  Prisoners  305 

segregation,  however,  cannot  be  made  an  effective  warning 
irnless  it  is  made  to  include  real  hardship ;  that  is,  a  deprivation 
of  everything  but  the  plainest  necessities  of  life. 

(3)  Reformation.  Society,  however,  will  not  act  wisely  if  it 
merely  shuts  the  prisoner  in  a  cell  until  his  sentence  has  expired. 
Not  only  for  the  sake  of  the  man  himself,  but  for  its  own  sake, 
society  should  use  the  period  of  separation  in  such  way  as  to 
build  up  his  character  and  assist  him  to  become  a  useful  mem- 
ber of  society.  Reformation,  then,  should  be  the  ultimate  aim 
of  punitive  discipline. 

(4)  Humanity.  Finally,  it  should  be  remembered  that  the 
criminal  may  not  be  wholly  to  blame  for  the  actions  which  have 
brought  him  under  the  penalty  of  the  law.  In  many  instances 
he  is  born  with  a  predisposition  to  ciime  that  has  been  strength- 
ened by  a  vicious  environment.  Society,  instead  of  helping 
him  to  overcome  inborn  weaknesses  and  protecting  him  from 
evil  influences,  tolerates  conditions  that  stimulate  the  worst 
that  is  in  him,  and  make  it  next  to  impossible  for  him  to  rise 
into  a  worthy  manhood.  In  view  of  such  facts,  the  least 
society  can  do  is  to  treat  those  who  in  many  cases  are  the  vic- 
tims of  its  own  neglect,  with  the  utmost  hi_imanity  consistent 
with  a  strict  regard  for  requirements  already  laid  down. 

Note  3.  Reformatory  Methods.  Any  one  acquainted  with 
the  conditions  into  which  prisoners  were  thrust  only  a  century 
ago  will  not  need  to  be  told  that  the  first  step  to  be  taken  for 
the  improvement  of  the  prisoners  was  the  improvement  of  the 
prisons  themselves.  The  inmates  were  often  deprived  of  light 
and  air,  forced  to  live  in  the  midst  of  filth  and  disease,  clothed 
in  rags,  and  fed  on  scanty  and  imwholesome  food.  In  civilized 
countries  such  conditions  have  largely  ceased  to  exist.  An 
ideal  modem  prison  is  now  a  model  of  sanitation  and  arranged 
with  a  view  to  promoting  the  best  interests  of  the  inmates; 
but  ideal  prisons  are  still  all  too  rare. 

So  far  as  a  modern  prison  realizes  modem  ideals,  it  has  ceased 
to  be  a  place  for  physical  torture,  and  been  made  a  reform  school 
where  good  habits,  physical,  mental,  and  moral,  are  taught. 

Protracted  idleness  is  always  demorahzing.  Therefore  prison- 
ers are  required  to  work,  not  merely  for  their  own  good,  but  in 
order  to  reimburse  the  State  in  some  measure  for  the  expense 
of  maintaining  them.  A  large  proportion  of  them  have  fallen 
into  evil  ways  because  they  knew  no  self-supporting  trade. 
All  of  them  are,  therefore,  taught  a  trade,  such  as  they  may 


306  The  Modern  Church  -^"^°» 

choose,  or  for  which  they  seem  best  fitted,  so  that  on  re-entering 
the  world  they  will  not  be  forced  to  beg  or  steal  for  a  living. 

How  to  keep  the  convicts  at  work  without  injury  to  free 
labor  is  one  of  the  most  perplexing  problems  in  the  management 
of  prisons.  A  system  which  has  widely  prevailed  was  that  of 
hiring  the  labor  of  convicts  to  contractors  who  engaged  to  pay 
for  them  a  fixed  price  a  day.  The  only  inducement  in  employ- 
ing convict  labor  rather  than  free  was  the  hope  of  larger  gain. 
This  could  be  reahzed  in  one  of  two  ways,  either  by  paying  less 
wages  for  the  same  output  or  the  same  wages  as  in  the  open 
market  for  a  larger  output.  In  either  case  the  contractor 
would  be  able  to  imdersell  his  competitor  who  employed  free 
labor.  This  naturally  raised  an  angry  protest  against  convict 
labor.  Moreover,  where  the  larger  output  was  demanded  this 
was  often  realized  at  the  cost  of  much  suffering  to  the  overtaxed 
laborers.     Fortunately,  this  system  has  largely  passed  away. 

The  convicts  are  encotLraged  to  maintain  good  behavior,  not 
only  by  reaping  immediate  advantages,  but  by  a  shortening  of 
the"  time  of  their  sentence.  Every  inducement  is  held  out  to 
prisoners  so  to  conduct  themselves  as  to  inspire  confidence  in 
their  desire  to  qualify  for  good  citizenship.  Putting  the  better 
class  of  prisoners  on  their  honor  is  frequently  attended  by 
surprising  results. 

All  possible  care  is  taken  that,  when  a  sentence  expires,  the 
prisoner  is  not  merely  thrust  out  into  the  world  but  prepared 
to  resimie  his  place  in  society.  At  the  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  reforma- 
tory every  inmate  is  paid  a  wage  for  his  daily  work  that,  after 
defraying  the  cost  of  his  board  and  keep,  will  net  him  a  small 
sum  when  he  is  discharged.  He  does  not  leave  imtil  employ- 
ment has  been  foimd  for  him  and  even  then  remains  under 
supervision  imtil  he  has  shown  that  it  is  safe  to  give  him  full 
liberty. 

In  some  cases  the  offender  is  not  sent  to  prison  at  all,  but,  as 
in  the  case  of  juveniles,  put  on  probation  under  the  care  of  a 
probation  officer  who  looks  after  him,  advises  him  when  in 
trouble,  or  gives  him  assistance  when  in  need.  In  this  way 
many  men  have  been  saved  without  the  stigma  of  serving  time 
in  jail. 

Note  4.    Determinate    and    Indeterminate    Sentences.    So 

long  as  the  main  purpose  of  imprisonment  was  retribution, 
the  length  of  the  sentence  was  in  a  rough  way  apportioned  to  the 
degree  of  the  crime.    At  the  expiration  of  the  sentence,  the 


Foriy-eight  Prtsous  and  Prisoners  307 

culprit  was  released,  because  the  public  sentiment  for  vengeance 
was  supposed  to  be  satisfied.  Whether  the  discipline  had  left 
the  man  where  he  was,  or  made  him  tenfold  more  a  danger  to 
society  was  not  considered.  It  is  very  much  as  if  a  doctor 
should  send  a  smallpox  patient  to  a  hospital  for  ten  days  and 
then  turn  him  loose  to  spread  the  contagion  through  the  com- 
munity. 

When,  on  the  contrary,  the  emphasis  is  placed  on  reforma- 
tion, and  prisons  are  so  conducted  as  to  promote  this  end,  it  is 
obvious  that  the  prison  takes  on  the  character  of  a  hospital  for 
moral  infirmities,  and  that  the  patient  committed  to  it  should 
remain  until  cured,  whether  it  takes  ten  weeks  or  ten  years. 
At  first  obedience  to  the  requirements  for  systematic  physical 
exercise,  for  study,  for  manual  training,  for  neatness,  order,  and 
respect  for  law  may  be  yielded,  not  through  love,  but  because 
the  offender  realizes  that  if  he  is  ever  to  regain  his  liberty  he 
must  attain  proficiency  in  these  things.  **  But  in  the  doing 
there  comes  in  time  a  development  of  that  indescribable  thing 
that  we  call  character,  and  everything  comes  to  be  looked  at 
from  a  different  and  better  point  of  view.  He  acquires  the 
power  of  concentrated  and  persistent  effort,  changes  his  aims 
and  ambitions,  and  becomes  receptive  to  the  more  direct 
moral  influences  of  the  institution."  (Thirteenth  Annual  Re- 
port, 1906,  of  the  New  York  State  Reformatory  at  Elmira.) 

On  the  other  hand,  indisputable  evidence  shows  that  there  is 
in  every  city  a  confirmed  criminal  class,  of  whose  reformation 
the  hope  is  so  slight  as  to  be  practically  negligible.  London  is 
estimated  to  contain  twenty  thousand.  A  man  who  has  served 
anywhere  from  three  or  four  to  fifteen  or  twenty  terms  in  prison, 
and  who  leaves  the  prison  each  time  with  the  full  piirpose  of 
resuming  his  career  of  crime,  is  more  dangerous  to  society  than 
a  leper.  And  yet  we  segregate  the  leper  for  life,  and  turn  the 
confirmed  criminal  loose  to  prey  on  the  public  after  each  term 
of  confinement.  Reason  as  well  as  mercy  to  society  and  to  a 
confirmed  criminal  himself  dictate  a  complete  loss  of  opportu- 
nity to  commit  crime  for  the  rest  of  his  life,  or  imtil  he  has  experi- 
enced a  well-nigh  miraculous  moral  transformation. 

Note  5.    A  Helping  Hand  from  the  Church.    Prisons  are  so 

largely  secular  institutions  that,  even  when  the  ultimate  aim  is 
moral  reform,  the  churches  come  into  slight  direct  contact  with 
them.  The  large  State  institutions  employ  chaplains  who 
conduct  the  reHgious  services  and  look  after  the  other  reHgious 


308  The  Modern  Church  ^''*^<'» 

interests  of  the  inmates.  Wherever  possible,  they  give  counsel 
and  encouragement.  In  the  smaller  county  jails  where  no 
chaplains  are  employed,  the  neighboring  ministers  usually  take 
turns  in  conducting  the  Srmday  worship.  It  would  also  be  well 
if  ministers  in  their  public  prayers  for  all  sorts  and  conditions 
of  men  would  specifically  remember  the  men  and  women  behind 
prison  bars.  In  this  way  they  would  not  only  invoke  divine 
help  for  those  who  greatly  need  it,  but  also  turn  the  thoughts  of 
the  congregation  toward  those  unfortunates  whom  the  world  is 
likely  to  ignore  and  forget.  This  would  tend,  moreover,  to 
pave  the  way  for  extending  sympathetic  aid  to  those  organiza- 
tions, like  the  John  Howard  Homes  and  the  Volunteer  Prison 
League  founded  for  the  purpose  of  sheltering,  caring  for,  and 
morally  supporting  discharged  prisoners,  while  they  are  seeking 
for  opportunities  to  get  back  into  industrial  life.  The  man  who 
comes  out  of  prison  resolved  to  lead  such  a  life  as  never  to  get 
into  the  clutches  of  the  law  again,  is  worthy  of  all  the  sympathy 
and  aid  the  churches  can  extend  to  him.  Even  at  the  best  he 
is  compelled  to  face  discouragements,  distrust,  and  hostility 
enough  to  try  to  the  utmost  the  good  resolutions  he  has  foimded. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(i)  Booth:  After  Priso7i,  What?  Mrs.  Ballington  Booth  founded  the 
Volunteer  Prison  League  in  1896.  Further  information  respecting  it  can 
be  had  by  sending  to  34  West  28th  Street,  New  York  City.  {2)  Boies. 
The  Science  of  Penology.  {3)  Reports  of  the  National  Prison  Association. 
See  also  The  American  Year  Book  for  1913,  pp.  444-455.  U)  Bliss. 
Encyclopaedia  of  Social  Reforms,  see  articles  Crime,  Criminology,  Penology, 
Convict  Labor,  Elmira  Reformatory,  Prison  Reform.  (5)  In  World's 
Work  for  April,  1914,  see  article  on  "  A  Prison  that  Makes  Men  Free." 
{6)  On  the  Convict  Honor  System,  see  Harper's  Weekly,  August  2,  1913; 
Technical  World  Magazine,  February,  1913;  American  Magazine,  January, 
1913;  Outlook,  December  20,  1913.  (7)  On  Contract  Labor  Problem,  see 
The  Survey,  December  14  and  26,  1912;  January  4  and  17,  1913. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  causes  that  make  for  juvenile  delinquency? 

2.  How  were  juvenile  lawbreakers  treated  until  recent  times? 

3.  How  does  the  modern  treatment  differ  from  the  old? 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  remedial  measures  used? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Mention  some  respects  in  which  adult  criminals  differ  from  juvenile. 


2.  What  are  the  two  leading  aims  in  punishing  a  criminal? 


Foriy-eight  Pusous  and  PHsoners  309 

3.  What  four  principles  should  control  the  methods  of  punishment? 

4.  What  was  the  first  step  taken  in  improving  the  old  methods? 

5.  What  reformatory  methods  are  now  employed? 

6.  How  are  discharged  prisoners  assisted? 


7.  What  is  meant  by  a  determinate  sentence? 


8.  What  is  meant  by  an  indeterminate  sentence? 


9.  When  and  why  is  an  indeterminate  better  than  a  determinate  sen 
tence? 


10.  What  should  be  done  with  incorrigible  criminals? 


11.  How  can  the  churches  give  moral  aid  to  prisoners  before  and  aft 
their  discharge? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  is  the  condition  of  your  local  or  county  jail? 

2.  How  are  the  prisoners  treated? 

3.  What  are  the  churches  doing  for  their  moral  betterment? 


310  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°" 

4    How  the  honor  system  works  at  the  Oregon  Penitentiary.     See  The 
Outlook  for  July  27,  1912,  pp.  716,  748. 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

Should  the  death  penalty  be  abolished? 


Lesson  49.    ENEMIES  OF  THE  FAMILY. 

Scripture  Reading:-  Questions  about  Divorce.     Mark  10: 1-12. 

Note  1.  The  Family  in  Christian  Lands.  The  word  family 
ranges  in  meaning  from  a  single  social  unit  composed  of  a 
husband,  his  wife,  and  their  children,  through  a  gradually  en- 
larging series  of  meanings  imtil  finally  it  comes  to  include  all 
mankind,  as  when  we  speak  of  the  human  family.  As  used  in 
this  lesson,  the  term  will  be  restricted  to  its  narrowest  meaning, 
the  union  by  marriage  of  one  man  to  one  woman  and  the  chil- 
dren born  of  it.  This  is  monogamous,  as  distinguished  from 
polygamous  marriage. 

Christianity  sanctions  only  monogamous  marriages.  Any 
evasion  of  this  law  in  Christian  lands  is  regarded  as  a  crime 
and  is  severely  punished.  In  the  United  States,  polygamous 
marriage  has  been  a  disgraceful  and  law-defying  institution 
among  the  Mormons,  or  "  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter 
Day  Saints."  Whether  it  has  been  discontinued  since  Utah 
was  admitted  to  the  Union  is  a  disputed  question.  Outside  of 
Mormonism,  the  family  stands  in  all  civilized  and  Christian 
lands  for  a  monogamous  imion. 

Note  2.  The  Christian  Ideal  of  the  Family.  Among  the 
Hebrews,  as  among  the  ancients  in  general,  a  wife  was  regarded 
as  the  property  of  her  husband.  The  Tenth  Commandment 
(Exod.  20:  17)  classes  her  among  his  other  possessions.  The 
dowry  to  be  paid  to  a  bride's  parents  made  a  daughter  a  valu- 
able possession.  A  poor  man  was  lucky  if  he  could  obtain  a 
single  wife.  A  rich  man  might  have  as  many  as  he  could  afford. 
A  similar  freedom  was  enjoyed  in  respect  to  putting  a  wife 
away.  To  check  the  evil  results  of  impulsive  action,  the 
Deuteronomic  law  required  the  husband  to  give  his  discarded 
wife  "  a  bill  of  divorcement  "  (Deut.  24: 1).  Practically,  how- 
ever, the  freedom  of  divorce  was  unlimited,  so  that  in  the  time 
of  Christ  a  man  might  get  rid  of  his  wife  for  so  trivial  a  matter  as 
burning  his  dinner. 


Forty-nine  Enemies  oj  the  Family  311 

Against  this  low  idea  of  marriage  Jesus  asserted  the  divine 
ideal  of  a  union  so  close  that  husband  and  wife  become  "  one 
flesh,"  and  that  divorce  in  order  to  remarry  is  one  of  the  most 
heinous  of  crimes.  The  older  records  of  Alark  10:  11,  12,  and 
Luke  16 :  18  report  that  he  stated  this  general  principle  without 
any  reservations.  According  to  the  parallel  record  of  Mt. 
5 :  32  and  19 :  9,  he  conceded  that  unfaithfulness  to  the  marriage 
relation  is  a  permissible  groimd  for  divorce.  If  not  original 
with  Jesus,  this  later  version  at  least  reflects  the  usage  of  the 
early  church.  The  Roman  Catholic  church  takes  its  stand  on 
the  unqualified  ideal  in  Mark  and  Luke,  and  forbids  divorce. 
Protestant  churches,  for  the  most  part,  take  their  stand  on  the 
qualified  language  in  Matthew.  The  laws  of  organized  society, 
that  conform  to  present  conditions  rather  than  ideals,  go  still 
farther  and  take  account  of  the  fact  that  other  causes  destroy 
marriage  as  effectually  as  unfaithfulness  and  death. 

Note  3.  Purpose  and  Importance  of  the  Family.  The  es- 
sential bond  of  union  in  the  family  is  love.  Other  considera- 
tions may  exist,  but  where  love  does  not  reign  supreme  there 
can  be  no  true  family  life.  The  family  then  is  not  created  by 
mere  mutual  agreement,  or  by  contract.  It  is  something  more 
vital  than  a  partnership  which  may  be  dissolved  at  the  pleasure 
of  either  party.  The  marriage  ceremony  does  not  create,  but 
merely  gives  public  sanction  to,  a  previous  imion  of  hearts  and 
lives.  This  imion  is  the  fountain  from  which  flows  the  stream 
of  life.  Through  it  the  divine  work  of  creation  is  continued 
from  generation  to  generation.  Without  it  life  would  perish. 
For  this  reason  the  family  has  existed  from  immemorial  times 
as  the  basal  social  organism.  ,  Upon  it  are  built  the  larger 
units  of  the  clan,  the  tribe,  and  the  nation.  Its  customs  are 
expanded  into  the  laws  of  the  State.  Whatever,  therefore, 
undermines  the  integrity  and  imity  of  the  family,  endangers  to 
the  same  extent  the  stability  of  the  entire  social  structure. 
The  ruin  of  the  family  issues  in  the  ruin  of  the  State.  The 
Roman  empire  fell  not  so  much  because  barbarian  hordes  swept 
down  upon  it,  as  because  its  family  life  was  rotten  to  the  core. 
The  family  and  its  development  into  the  home  constitute  the 
foundation  not  only  of  the  State,  but  of  religion,  education, 
industry,  and  social  order. 

Note  4.  Enemies  of  the  Family.  {!)  Facility  in  Obtaining 
Divorce.  During  the  twenty  years  ending  with  1906,  nearly 
one  million  divorces  were  granted  in  the  United  States.     In  one 


312  The  Modem  Church  ^«^'^" 

case  a  wife  had  caused  her  husband  "  great  mental  anguish  " 
by  not  taking  him  out  to  ride,  and  in  another  case  a  wife  had 
caused  her  husband  similar  "  anguish  "  by  neglecting  to  sew 
the  buttons  on  his  shirt.  But  the  significance  of  the  above 
statement  lies  in  the  fact  that  only  three  per  cent  of  this  million 
divorces  were  granted  for  trivial  reasons,  while  ninety-seven 
per  cent  were  due  to  adultery,  desertion,  cruelty,  imprisonment 
for  crime,  habitual  drunkenness,  and  neglect  to  make  suitable 
provision  for  the  needs  of  the  family.  Sixty  per  cent  were 
granted  for  the  first  two  of  these  causes;  that  is,  after  husband 
and  wife  were  already  separated  and  the  home  destroyed. 

The  ease  with  which  divorces  have  been  obtained  in  some 
States  of  the  Union  has  greatly  increased  the  number  of  appH- 
cants.  A  uniform  divorce  law  in  all  the  States  would  greatly 
check  this  evil  which  in  some  instances  has  grown  into  a  na- 
tional scandal. 

(2)  Free  Love.  Prominent  writers  in  England  and  on  the 
Continent,  as  well  as  propagandists  of  certain  widely  accepted 
social  theories,  even  go  so  far  as  to  advocate  the  abolition  of 
the  family  and  a  return  to  the  aboriginal  imrestricted  relation 
between  the  sexes.  The  fact  that  many  of  these  persons  are 
exceptionally  intelligent  and  blameless  in  conduct  makes  their 
influence  the  more  pernicious. 

(3)  The  Social  Evil.  This  has  long  been  recognized  as  one  of 
the  most  insidious  and  dangerous  enemies  of  the  family.  Its 
foul  tentacles  lay  hold  of  men  and  women  in  all  classes  of  society, 
but  especially  the  young,  and  drag  them  into  depths  of  corrup- 
tion that  make  them  morally  and  physically  imfit  for  married 
life. 

(4)  Excessive  Individualism.  The  doctrine  that  the  individ- 
uals who  compose  society  are  no  more  related  than  so  many 
grains  of  sand,  leads  to  the  further  doctrine  that  all  social  rela- 
tions are  based  on  mutual  agreements  or  contracts.  This  con- 
clusion affects  the  family  disastrously,  since  it  denies  that  vital 
relationship  between  husband  and  wife  which  constitutes  them 
the  perfect  human  unit,  each  supplying  that  which  the  other 
lacks. 

(5)  Adverse  Economic  Conditions  among  the  Poor.  Men  who 
do  not  receive  wages  that  suffice  to  maintain  a  home  and  rear 
and  educate  children  marry  freely  nevertheless.  Low  wages, 
however,  force  the  wife  and  children  to  aid  in  supporting  the 
family,  with  the  unhappy  result  that  in  numberless  instances 
they  crowd  out  the  men  who  have  families  to  support. 


Forty^nine  Enemics  of  the  Family  313 

(6)  Fashionable  Life  among  the  Rich.  The  rapid  decrease  of 
offspring  not  only  among  the  rich,  but  in  the  middle  class,  has 
attracted  wide  attention.  In  long  stretches  of  fashionable 
homes  the  children  will  often  average  only  one  or  two,  instead 
of  the  normal  three  or  four,  to  a  family.  The  pressure  of  social 
engagemients  diverts  the  wives  from  giving  care  to  child  nurture. 

(7)  Aversion  of  Landlords  to  Children.  Landlords  who  refuse 
to  accept  as  tenants  families  with  children  should  be  classed 
among  the  enemies  of  the  family.  Those  heads  of  households 
who  have  encountered  such  refusals  will  appreciate  the  shrewd- 
ness of  the  woman  who,  before  negotiating  with  a  landlord  of 
that  description,  sent  her  six  children  to  play  in  a  neighboring 
cemetery.  On  being  asked  if  she  had  children  she  answered, 
"  Yes."  "  I  do  not  rent  to  families  with  children."  "  But 
mine  are  all  in  the  graveyard."  "  Oh,  that  makes  a  difference," 
said  the  landlord,  as,  with  a  word  of  hypocritical  condolence, 
he  made  out  a  lease. 

Note  5.    What  the  Churches  Can  do  to  Protect  the  Family. 

The  churches  should  affirm  the  sacredness  of  marriage  as  a 
divine  institution,  and  not  merely  a  civil  contract,  that  may  be 
broken  at  the  option  of  the  contracting  parties. 

The  churches  should  insist  that  legislation  respecting  mar- 
.riage  and  divorce  should  approximate  as  nearly  as  conditions 
will  permit  to  the  Christian  ideal,  or,  at  least,  that  nothing  in 
the  law  should  tend  to  disparage  this  ideal.  If  a  church  believes 
that  better  results  are  reached  by  a  rigid  refusal  to  sanction 
divorce,  it  is,  of  course,  free  to  act  accordingly.  At  the  same 
time  it  must  admit  that  it  is  the  fimction  of  civil  government  to 
legislate  as  demanded  by  existing  conditions  rather  than  try  to 
enforce  ideal  principles. 

The  churches  can  assist  in  agitating  for  uniform  divorce 
laws  now  in  process  of  enactment  by  several  States,  and  then, 
as  an  obvious  next  step,  uniform  marriage  laws. 

The  churches  must  try  to  arrest  that  apparent  decay  of  family 
life  to  which  must  be  attributed  the  numerous  divorces  now 
sought  and  granted  rather  than  to  laxity  in  the  laws  themselves. 
"  The  problem  in  American  famil}^  life  is  whether  we  are  able 
to  build  up  the  virtues  upon  which  a  new  and  higher  type  of 
family  may  be  founded,  higher,  that  is,  than  the  semi-patriarchal 
type  of  family  of  our  fathers,  which  is  now  passing  away  or  is, 
rather,  already  extinct." 

The  churches  can  co-operate  with  industrial  organizations 


314  The  Modern  Church  ^"^o'^ 

in  bringing  about  such  economic  changes  as  will  enable  every 
competent  workman  to  obtain  a  wage  that  will  make  marriage 
and  home  life  possible. 

The  churches  can  preach  the  dignity  as  well  as  the  duty  of 
parenthood,  and  insist  on  the  same  standard  of  purity  for  men 
as  for  women. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Devine:  The  Family  and  Social  Work,  pp.  59-112.  (2)  Whetham: 
The  Family  and  the  Nation.  (3)  Bosanquet:  The  Family.  (4)  Chris- 
tianity and  Divorce,  in  Littell's  Living  Age,  No.  3469,  December  31,  1910. 
(5)  The  Social  Evil.  The  Immediate  Remedies:  The  Outlook,  February 
8,  1913,  p.  298. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  should  be  the  aim  of  punishments  for  criminal  offenses? 

2.  What  reformatory  methods  should  be  employed? 

3.  When  should  indeterminate  sentences  be  imposed,  and  why? 

4.  How  can  the  churches  assist  in  reforming  criminals? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  was  the  position  of  the  wife  in  Old  Testament  times? 


2.  What  did  Jesus  teach  respecting  marriage  and  divorce? 


3.  What  is  the  main  purpose  of  the  family? 


4.  What  gives  to  the  family  its  unique  importance: 


5.  Describe  the  extent  and  causes  of  divorce  in  this  country. 


6.  How  is  the  family  affected  by  the  social  evil  and  individualism? 


Forty-nine  Emmtes  of  the  Family  315 

7.  How  is  the  family  affected  by  adverse  economic  conditions? 


8.  What  causes  the  decreasing  birth  rate  among  the  well-to-do  and  the 
rich? 


9.  In  what  respect  are  some  landlords  enemies  of  the  family? 


10.  What  should  be  the  church's  attitude  toward  divorce? 


11.  In  what  other  ways  can  churches  protect  the  family? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Are  lax  laws  or  decay  of  family  life  chiefly  to  blame  for  the  prevalence 
of  divorce? 

2.  Are  there  cases  around  you  where  people  give  so  much  attention  to 
religion  as  to  neglect  their  families? 

3.  What  is  the  average  number  of  children  in  the  families  i«i  your  church? 

4.  How  would  you  answer  those  who  maintain  that  not  even  the  death 
of  a  husband  or  wife  gives  the  other  liberty  to  marry? 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

Why  should  the  welfare  of  the  family  be  considered  the  ultimate  aim  of 
all  social  work? 


316  The  Modern  Church  ^"*°« 

Lesson  50.    THE  CHURCH  AND  THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

Scriptiire  Reading :  Religious  Teaching  Commanded.     Deut.  6: 1-9,  20-25. 

Note  1.  Literary  Study  of  the  Bible  not  Religious.  A  pro- 
fessor of  English  literatiire  in  one  of  the  Western  State  imiver- 
sities,  in  an  address  delivered  recently,  declared  that  "  One  of 
the  most  monumental  and  perhaps  irreparable  mistakes  ever 
made  by  the  American  nation  was  when  she  excluded  the  Bible 
from  her  public  schools."  Presumably  most  of  those  who 
greeted  this  declaration  with  **  an  outburst  of  applause " 
imagined  that  the  lecturer  had  in  mind  a  religious  study  of  the 
Bible.  Clearly,  however,  no  such  valuation  was  in  his  mind, 
since  his  subject  was,  "  The  Bible  as  Literature."  That  there 
might  be  no  mistake  on  this  point,  he  said  further:  "  In  attach- 
ing so  much  importance  to  the  study  of  the  Bible,  I  do  it  not 
so  much  on  account  of  its  ethical  and  religious  teachings  as 
because  of  its  being  the  greatest  masterpiece  in  the  literature  of 
all  ages  and  tongues."  On  this  ground  it  is  often  urged  that 
the  Bible  should  be  given  a  place  alongside  of  other  literature  in 
public  schools  and  colleges.  This  plea  might  be  valid  if  it 
were  merely  an  admirable  piece  of  literature.  But  its  im- 
portance in  this  respect  bears  no  comparison  with  the  estima- 
tion in  which  it  is  held  as  a  source  of  ideals  for  building  up  a 
moral  and  religious  character.  Those  who  regard  the  latter 
as  at  least  equally  important  with  physical  and  mental  training 
deplore  the  wide  disuse  of  the  Bible  which  they  regard  as  a  most 
important  aid  in  the  cultivation  of  the  higher  side  of  human 
nature.  They  feel  that  a  study  of  the  Bible  as  literature  is 
practically  worthless  for  this  higher  end. 

Note  2.  Laws  of  the  United  States  Respecting  Public 
Schools  ani  the  Bible.  The  population  of  the  United  States 
according  to  the  census  of  1910  was  93,401,414.  About  one- 
fourth  of  this  number  are  of  school  age.  Probably  twenty 
millions  are  enrolled  as  actually  attending  school.  To  say  that 
the  American  nation  has  committed  the  "  monimiental  mis- 
take "  of  excluding  the  Bible  from  her  public  schools  is  to  make  a 
reckless  and  misleading  statement.  The  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  declares  that  "  Congress  shall  make  no  law 
respecting  an  establishment  of  religion,  or  prohibiting  the  free 
exercise  thereof."  Congress  has  no  power  to  banish  the  Bible 
from  the  public  schools.  These  are  subject  to  the  control  of 
the  separate  States.  Here,  it  is  true,  we  find  a  few  cases  in 
which  State  laws  prevent  the  use  of  the  Bible  in  the  schools. 


pif^y  The  Church  and  the  Public  Schools  317 

These  are  California,  Washington,  Utah,  Idaho,  and  Nevada. 
Louisiana  has  a  law  against  sectarian  teaching  that  has  been  so 
interpreted  as  to  hinder  the  use  of  the  Bible  in  its  schools,  and 
so  has  Illinois.  On  the  other  hand,  Maine,  New  Hampshire, 
Vermont,  Massachusetts,  Maryland,  Georgia,  District  of 
Columbia,  and  Pennsylvania  make  the  use  of  the  Bible  com- 
pulsory. In  all  the  New  England  States  the  Bible  has  been 
read  in  the  public  schools  ever  since  they  were  established  more 
than  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago.  New  York  is  also  a 
Bible-reading  State,  the  custom  being  as  old  as  the  schools. 
New  York  City  has  a  law  (Section  134)  which  prescribes  a 
reading  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  without  note  or  comment  at 
the  opening  of  every  school  in  the  city.  In  1898  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Alichigan  rendered  a  decision  favoring  the  readiag  of 
the  Bible  in  the  schools.  Here  also,  the  custom  goes  back  to 
the  beginning  of  the  public-school  system.  In  all  the  remaining 
States  there  are  either  no  laws  concerning  the  matter  or  laws 
forbidding  the  exclusion  of  the  Bible.  What  most  of  the  States 
explicitly  forbid,  however,  is  the  teaching  of  sectarian  doctrines. 
Where  Bible  reading  is  optional  with  school  boards  or  teachers 
the  custom  varies  from  only  a  few  schools  in  some  States  to 
nearly  all  in  others.  Some  State  laws  require  the  use  of  the 
Lord's  Prayer  in  connection  with  the  Bible  reading.  This 
custom  is  largely  followed  even  when  it  is  not  compulsory. 

Note  3.  Reasons  for  Excluding  Religious  Teaching  from 
Public  Schools.  Two  principles  on  which  our  government  is 
founded  are  those  of  complete  separation  between  church  and 
State,  and  the  education  of  all  youth  at  public  expense.  Until 
the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  the  main  purpose  in 
learning  to  read  was  in  order  to  read  the  Bible  and  other  re- 
ligious books.  This  idea  by  general  consent  dominated  the 
public  schools.  But  when  religious  bodies  of  various  kinds 
began  to  multiply,  the  teaching  of  religion  was  taken  out,  lest 
schools  maintained  by  the  entire  community  should  propagate 
particular  denominational  beliefs.  To  tax  Roman  Catholics, 
i.e.,  for  the  support  of  schools  teaching  Protestantism,  or  to 
tax  a  Protestant  for  the  maintenance  of  some  other  kind  of 
Protestantism  than  his  own,  was  seen  to  be  an  injustice.  In  a 
coimtry  with  nearly  two  hundred  distinct  religious  bodies  hold- 
ing more  or  less  conflicting  beliefs  and  practices,  the  only  possible 
system  of  pubhc  education  was  one  entirely  independent  of 
religious  instruction.     To  teach  the  doctrines  of  any  one  de- 


318  The  Modern  Church  ^"^°« 

nomination  would  be  doing  injustice  to  all  the  rest;  to  teach  all 
would  be  impossible.  Those  who  regarded  their  own  denomina- 
tion as  the  sole  door  for  entrance  into  heaven  would  jealously 
guard  their  children  from  contamination  by  other  sects.  With 
equal  jealousy  would  those  who  regarded  every  form  of  religion 
as  superstition  and  tyramiy  guard  their  children  from  religious 
instruction  of  any  kind.  The  only  way  to  get  religious  teaching 
into  the  public  school  would  be  for  all  the  people  to  agree  on  one 
particular  kind,  to  forbid  by  law  any  other.  This  is  a  subject 
to  be  decided  by  the  individual  States. 

Note  4.  Schools  without  Religious  Instruction  not  Neces- 
sarily "  Godless."  Even  if  the  logic  of  separation  between 
church  and  state  should  be  pushed  so  far  as  to  banish  the 
Bible  from  the  schools  of  every  commimity  where  a  majority 
opposes  its  use,  this  would  not  leave  the  schools  irreligious  or 
Godless.  Ours  is  a  Christian  civilization  built  up  on  the 
moral  and  reHgious  teachings  of  the  Bible.  So  long  as  it  remains 
Christian  the  moral  standards  of  private  conduct  and  of  public 
action  will  be  those  inculcated  by  this  book.  Teachers  in 
public  schools,  as  well  as  preachers  in  pulpits,  will  recognize 
these  standards.  Moral  delinquency  in  either  case  is  visited 
not  only  by  loss  of  influence,  but  also  by  loss  of  place.  We 
should  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  teachers  in  American 
schools,  a  large  majority  of  whom  are  women,  are  a  conscien- 
tious and  consecrated  body  of  public  servants  who  thoroughly 
recognize  their  responsibilities.  Multitudes  of  them  are  de- 
voted Christians,  who  so  clearly  and  beautifully  manifest  the 
spirit  of  true  reUgion  in  their  lives  as  to  quicken  a  similar  life 
in  their  pupils.  An  unconscious  absorption  of  moral  and  reli- 
gious impressions  is  Hkely  to  be  more  fruitful  and  enduring  than 
a  direct  and  formal  presentation  of  religious  doctrines.  Any 
teacher  so  disposed  can  make  his  or  her  school  a  profoundly 
religious  institution,  where  the  emphasis  is  not  on  dogma,  but 
on  conduct  and  character;  where  God  is  not  reduced  to  a  theo- 
logical definition,  but  is  realized  as  a  living  presence;  and  where 
ethics  is  not  a  system  of  abstract  precepts,  but  a  cup  of  cold 
water,  a  loving  heart,  and  a  perception  of  the  great  truths  of 
life  reflected  in  all  processes  of  nature  and  the  activities  of  men 
and  children. 

Note  5.  Position  of  the  Churches  in  Respect  to  the  Public 
Schools.  {!)  The  churches  cannot  ask  for  the  introduction  of 
formal  reHgious  instruction  in  schools  supported  by  the  State. 
The  suggestion  that  pastors  and  priests  of  different  religions 


^»y<y  The  Church  and  the  Public  Schools  319 

come  alternately  to  the  schools  to  teach  religion  would  not  only 
conflict  with  the  principle  of  complete  separation  between 
church  and  state,  but  would  result  in  hopeless  confusion  to  the 
children. 

{2)  The  churches  have  a  right  to  insist  that  the  schools  shall 
not  be  made  centers  for  the  propagation  of  anti-religious  or  anti- 
Christian  teaching.  History  and  experience  imite  in  proving 
that  any  education  which  opposes,  or  even  ignores,  ethical  and 
religious  elements  is  perilous  not  only  to  the  individual,  but  to 
the  State. 

{3)  The  churches  may  properly  aid  in  creating  a  public  senti- 
ment that  shall  demand  that  supervisors  and  teachers  be  persons 
whose  character  shall  make  the  atmosphere  of  the  schoolroom 
helpful  in  quickening  the  moral  and  spiritual  life  of  the  child 
and  in  reinforcing  the  direct  teachings  of  the  home  and  the 
Simday  school. 

(4)  The  churches  should  as  far  as  possible  enlist  the  sympathy 
and  co-operation  of  the  public  school  teachers  in  the  work  of  the 
Sunday  schools.  It  may  not  always  be  possible  to  obtain  their 
services  as  teachers,  but  it  will  always  be  possible  to  establish 
between  them  and  the  Sunday-school  teachers  a  closer  alliance 
than  usually  exists.  Any  one  acquainted  with  day-school 
teachers  knows  that  as  a  rule  they  sincerely  desire  the  moral 
and  religious  welfare  of  their  pupils.  Why  should  not  the 
teacher  of  a  class  of  boys  go  to  the  day  teacher  of  any  particular 
boy  and  in  a  few  minutes  find  out  more  about  his  habits,  pro- 
pensities, ambitions,  and  environment  than  he  reveals  in  a 
whole  year's  Sunday  behavior?  Even  if  one  teacher  were  a 
Roman  Catholic  and  the  other  a  Protestant,  the  gain  to  each 
would  be  great  the  moment  they  were  convinced  that  they  were 
disinterestedly  concerned  in  the  moral  and  religious  uplift  of  a 
certain  boy  or  girl. 

(5)  The  churches  should  recognize  the  duty  of  raising  their 
own  schools  to  a  higher  educational  standard.  This  can  be 
done  by  the  employment  of  trained  teachers,  who  should  be 
properly  paid  for  their  work.  As  soon  as  this  higher  standard 
has  been  attained,  the  public  schools  might  through  examina- 
tions recognize  the  work  done  in  the  church  schools.  In  this 
respect  North  Dakota  and  Colorado  have  set  an  example  that 
might  well  be  followed  in  all  the  States. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(i)  Huling:  "  The  Resources  of  the  School  for  Moral  Training,"  in 
Proceedings  of  the  Religious  Education  Association^   1904,  pp.  269-275. 


320  The  Modern  Church  ^''^^^ 

(^)  Home:  "  Religious  Teaching  in  the  Pubhc  Schools,"  Ibid.,  pp.  276- 
279.  (5)  Bishop:  "  Moral  Effects  of  Bible  Reading  and  the  Lord's  Prayer 
in  Public  Schools,"  Ibid.,  pp.  280-284.  (4)  Starbuck:  "  How  Far  Can 
the  Foundations  Be  Laid  in  the  Common  Schools?  "  Ibid.,  1905,  pp.  245- 
250.  (5)  Taylor:  "  Relation  of  the  Sunday  School  to  the  Public  School," 
in  Official  Report  oj  the  Eleventh  International  Sunday-school  Convention, 
1905,  pp.  185-189. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  is  the  Christian  ideal  of  the  family? 

2.  To  what  is  the  importance  of  the  family  due? 

3.  Mention  some  of  the  chief  enemies  of  the  family. 

4.  What  can  the  churches  do  to  protect  the  family? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Why  does  the  study  of  the  Bible  as  literature  not  meet  the  need  of 
moral  and  religious  training  in  the  public  schools? 


2.  To  what  extent  has  the  Bible  been  excluded  from  the  public  schools 
in  this  country? 


3.  To  what  extent  has  it  been  retained? 


4.  What  kind  of  religious  instruction  is  forbidden  in  public  schools? 


5.  Why  has  religious  instruction,  once  universal,  been  taken  out  of  the 
day  schools  in  this  country? 


6.  What  fact  makes  our  public  schools  centers  of  strong  religious  influ- 
ence even  if  no  formal  teaching  is  imparted? 


7.  What  direct  influence  on  the  public  schools  are  the  churches  prohibited 
from  exerting? 


Fifty-one  World  Peace  321 

8.  How  can  they  indirectly  promote  moral  and  religious  influences  in 
the  schools? 


9.  How  can  the  Sunday  school  co-operate  with  the  day  school  in  ad- 
vancing the  moral  welfare  of  the  pupils? 


10.  What  can  the  churches  do  to  promote  a  devotional  use  of  the  Bible 
in  the  day  schools? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Has  your  State  any  law  respecting  the  use  of  the  Bible  in  the  public 
schools?     If  so,  what  is  it? 

2.  If  the  Bible  is  not  excluded  by  State  law,  to  what  extent  is  it  used  in 
the  schools  of  your  city  or  town? 

3.  Are  the  teachers  generally  identified  with  the  churches? 

4.  Do  the  Christian  people  in  your  neighborhood  show  any  interest  in 
the  character  of  the  public  schools? 

5.  Why  do  the  Roman  Catholics  establish  parochial  schools  wherever 
they  are  able? 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

Should  the  Bible  be  excluded  from  the  public  schools  wherever  a  smaU 
minority  of  the  population  insist  on  it? 


Lesson  51.    WORLD  PEACE. 

Scripture  Reading:   A  Prophecy  of  World  Peace.     Isaiah  2: 2-4. 

Note  1.  The  World-Wide  Agitation  for  Peace.  Winston 
Churchill,  first  lord  of  the  British  admiralty,  said  recently  that 
when  he  thought  of  Europe  to-day  with  ever^^  nation  mingling 
freely  with  every  other  nation,  with  every  government  professing 
the  utmost  friendship  for  other  States,  with  every  sovereign 
linked  by  relationship  and  interest  with  the  heads  of  other 
powers,  with  every  foreign  office  uttering  accents  of  supreme 
correctitude,  and  yet  the  whole  held  and  gripped  in  the  thral- 
dom of  armaments  on  a  scale  unexampled  since  the  beginning 
of  time,  he  could  not  help  being  reminded  of  the  storv^  of  the 
Spanish  prisoner  w^ho  was  confined  for  twenty  years  in  a  dungeon 
until  one  day  he  happened  to  push  the  door  of  his  cell,  which 


322  The  Modern  Church  ^"^^« 

had  all  the  time  been  unlocked,  and  walked  out  free  into  the 
open  air. 

Thinking  men  everywhere  are  asking  themselves  how  long 
the  great  nations  of  the  world  will  continue  to  strain  every 
resource  in  building  up  immense  armaments  in  preparation  for  a 
war  in  which  no  one  of  them  ventures  to  engage.  Everywhere 
the  people  on  whom  the  crushing  weight  of  modem  militarism 
is  being  piled  higher  and  higher  are  becoming  increasingly 
restive.  Every  day  the  frantic  appeals  to  a  narrow  patriotism 
are  making  less  and  less  impression  in  comparison  with  the 
demands  of  an  enlightened  self-interest.  By  and  by  the  na- 
tions will  wake  up  to  the  fact  that  they  have  suffered  them- 
selves to  be  enslaved  by  a  phantom  power  from  which  they 
could  have  freed  themselves  any  moment  had  they  only  had 
the  sense  to  push  open  the  door  that  leads  to  liberty. 

In  the  world-wide  agitation  now  going  on  there  are  two  sides : 
(1)  The  militarists  who  stand  for  the  old  ideas  of  what  consti- 
tutes national  greatness.  These  embrace  some  diplomatists, 
the  professional  soldiers  who  make  their  living  by  war  or  by 
preparation  for  it,  the  manufacturers  of  army  and  navy  sup- 
plies, and  the  builders  of  great  fleets  of  dreadnaughts  who  are 
amassing  vast  fortimes  by  openly  or  secretly  working  on  the 
mutual  fears  and  jealousies  of  the  nations,  and  so  making  busi- 
ness for  themselves.  {2)  Opposed  to  these  are  the  pacifists, 
who  believe  that  the  time  has  passed  when  a  nation's  real 
greatness  can  be  measured  by  supremacy  in  war,  who  see  that 
man's  victories  over  nature  count  for  vastly  more  than  his 
victories  over  his  fellows,  who  hold  that  reason  is  a  safer  and 
nobler  guide  than  brutal  force,  and  who  regard  the  present 
unparalleled  scramble  for  bigger  and  ever  bigger  armaments  as 
**  organized  insanity." 

Note  2.  What  the  Militarists  Say.  In  justification  of  war 
it  is  said :  (1)  War  has  been  a  mighty  force  in  advancing  civiliza- 
tion. This  is  true  in  some  cases,  but  the  conditions  that  led 
to  such  wars  have  largely  passed  away.  On  the  other  hand, 
war  has  far  more  frequently  arrested  or  retarded  progress  by 
destroying  the  material  prosperity  on  which  civilization  rests. 

{2)  Wars,  by  wiping  out  weak  and  effete  peoples,  have  in- 
sured the  survival  of  the  fittest.  But  prolonged  wars  destroy 
also  the  strongest  and  most  virile  young  blood  in  the  conquering 
nation,  leaving  it  to  be  perpetuated  by  those  who  are  unfit  for 
military  service. 


my-one  World  Peace  323 

{3)  Militarists  are  conveniently  silent  about  wars  waged  to 
gratify  lust,  greed,  or  revenge,  but  eloquent  about  the  nobility 
and  glory  of  wars  waged  in  self-defense.  A  defensive  war, 
however,  is  impossible  unless  there  be  first  an  offensive  war. 
Men  are  in  no  danger  of  being  murdered  unless  murderers  are 
at  large. 

(4)  War  is  extolled  as  a  means  of  securing  justice  between 
nations  and  of  settling  national  disputes.  But  by  war,  as  by 
duelling,  questions  of  right  or  wrong  are  never  settled,  but  only 
which  of  the  combatants  is  the  stronger  or  more  skillful.  Fur- 
thermore, it  has  been  shown  that  between  1500  B.C.  and  1860 
A.D.  more  than  eight  thousand  wars  were  waged  largely  for 
the  purpose  of  settling  national  disputes,  but  not  one  succeeded. 
"WHiat  likelihood  is  there  that  eight  thousand  wars  will  do  so  in 
the  future?  Aggressive  wars  breed  nothing  but  international 
hatreds  and  undying  passion  for  revenge. 

{5)  It  is  said  that  wars  have  always  existed  and  always  will, 
because  fighting  is  an  inborn  human  instinct.  The  same  might 
have  been  said  a  century  ago  about  slavery  and  the  duel. 
While  himian  nature  may  be  unchangeable  in  its  essential 
features,  it  has  a  way  of  adapting  itself  to  new  conditions  and 
higher  ideals.  If  it  had  not,  men  would  still  be  cave-dwellers, 
killing  and  eating  one  another. 

{6)  One  of  the  standing  justifications  of  war  is  that  no  other 
institution  so  fosters  those  high  virtues  of  courage,  chivalry,  and 
manliness,  the  possession  of  which  tends  to  national  progress, 
and  the  absence  of  which  in  peaceful  nations  leads  to  degeneracy 
and  decay.  But,  if  so,  then  Germany  should  have  reached  the 
pinnacle  of  national  glory  in  the  fourteenth  century  when  her 
six  hundred  and  fifty  petty  principalities  were  engaged  in  con- 
stant conflicts  one  with  another.  If,  as  Mr.  Roosevelt  declares, 
that  "  by  war  alone  can  we  acquire  those  virile  qualities  neces- 
sary to  win  in  the  stern  strife  of  actual  life,"  then  Mexico,  after 
three  years  of  atrocious  civil  war,  must  be  developing  qualities 
that  will  make  her  a  formidable  antagonist  to  the  United  States, 
enervated  by  prolonged  peace  and  sordid  industry, 

Note  3.  What  the  Pacifists  Say.  {!)  Every  consideration 
in  favor  of  huge  armaments,  a  cultivation  of  the  war  spirit, 
and  use  of  military  force  in  the  settlement  of  international  dis- 
putes is  based  on  false  reasoning,  on  appeals  to  obsolete  condi- 
tions, and  on  wilful  blindness  to  those  new  relations  and  con- 
ditions in  which  the  nations  of  the  world  have  been  placed  by 


324  The  Modern  Church  ^^^-^o" 

modern  developments  in  science,  mechanics,  industries,  trans- 
portation, finance,  and  religion.  Owing  to  these  revolutionary 
changes,  humanity  is  facing  a  new  era  in  respect  to  which 
deductions  from  the  past  are  largely  futile. 

{2)  It  is  becoming  more  and  more  clear  that  modem  warfare 
is  at  least  equally  unprofitable  to  both  belligerents,  and  probably 
more  so  to  the  victor.  When  the  little  groups  of  statesmen  who 
assimie  a  divine  right  to  control  the  destiny  of  nations  realize 
that  aggressive  warfare  means  loss  rather  than  gain,  the  motive 
for  aggression  will  have  disappeared,  and  costly  defensive 
measures  will  no  longer  be  needed. 

{3)  Modern  industrialism  works  against  national  isolation 
and  for  international  solidarity.  The  nations  are  becoming  so 
vitally  interdependent  in  respect  of  trade  and  finance  that  an 
injury  to  one  is  an  injury  to  all.  The  more  highly  civilized  a 
country  is,  that  is,  the  more  its  trade  and  commerce  and  manu- 
factures are  developed,  the  more  perilous  war  becomes. 

(4)  Modem  warfare  cannot  be  carried  on  without  credit. 
Each  one  of  the  great  European  nations  can  only  with  difficulty 
meet  its  annual  budget  in  times  of  peace.  The  enormous  cost 
of  carrying  on  a  modern  war  has  to  be  met  by  loans.  It  is  not 
the  kings  or  war-lords  who  decide  whether  Germany,  Austria, 
Italy,  Russia,  or  France  shall  declare  war  against  some  other 
nation.  This  question  is  decided  by  the  financiers,  the  men 
who  hold  the  purse-strings.  In  1911  Germany  and  France 
seemed  on  the  point  of  flying  at  each  other's  throats  over  the 
Morocco  question.  Every  revelation  made  since  then  has  gone 
to  show  that  the  restraining  hand  was  that  of  finance.  So 
closely  are  modern  nations  bound  together  in  that  wonderful 
system  of  credit  which  has  spread  over  Europe  and  beyond 
that  even  a  threat  of  war  is  enough  to  start  a  financial  panic. 

(5)  What  is  likely  to  develop  into  the  most  effective  move- 
ment in  favor  of  universal  peace  is  manifesting  itself  among 
those  who  in  the  past  have  been  the  severest  sufferers  from  war, 
and  have  had  the  least  to  say  about  it.  The  general  populace, 
the  peasantry,  but  especially  the  wage  earners  in  the  cities,  are 
refusing  in  rapidly-growing  numbers  to  be  driven  to  slaughter  in 
conflicts  about  which  they  care  nothing  and  from  which  those 
who  precipitate  them  carefully  stay  away.  When  the  common 
people  refuse  to  fight,  war  will  cease. 

Note  4.     Agencies  Actively  Promoting  World  Peace.     The 

possibility  of  settling  international  disputes  by  arbitration  was 


Pifiy-one  World  Peace  325 

first  recognized  in  the  Jay  Treaty  of  1794.  Since  then  this 
principle  has  won  such  wide  recognition  that  over  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  disputes,  many  of  them  serious  enough  to  bring 
the  disputants  to  the  brink  of  war,  have  been  settled  happily 
and  permanently.  In  no  case  has  the  decision  of  the  arbitra- 
tors been  rejected. 

The  Hague  Conferences,  held  in  1899  and  1907,  have  been 
participated  in  by  nearly  all  the  nations.  They  have  resulted 
in  far-reaching  agreements  as  to  what  is  wise  and  practicable  in 
the  substitution  of  justice  for  force.  They  have  paved  the  way 
for  the  institution  of  an  International  Court  of  Prize  for  decid- 
ing controversies  arising  from  alleged  iUegal  captures  in  time 
of  war.  A  Permanent  Cotut  of  Arbitration  has  been  instituted 
from  whose  members  litigants  may  choose  those  to  whom  they 
will  submit  their  case.  With  the  machinery  thus  created,  the 
United  States  and  Great  Britain  have  amicably  settled  their 
differences  respecting  the  Newfoimdland  fisheries.  For  a  cen- 
tury back  this  question  has  been  a  source  of  acute  irritation, 
and  even  threats  of  war.  The  proposal  made  to  the  last  Hague 
Conference  for  a  permanent  International  Court  of  Arbitral 
Justice,  which  shall  sustain  a  relation  to  the  several  nations 
similar  to  that  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  to  the  States 
of  the  Union,  was  accepted  in  principle  but  failed  of  institution 
because  the  Conference  could  not  agree  on  a  method  of  selecting 
the  judges.  It  is  now  hoped  that  such  a  court  will  be  erected 
at  the  Hague  before  the  assembling  of  the  third  Conference. 

The  miUions  given  by  Andrew  Carnegie,  and  another  million 
by  Edwin  Ginn,  to  promote  world  peace  have  furnished  the 
financial  resources  by  which  solid  constructive  work  long  needed 
can  be  imdertaken.  The  trustees  of  the  Carnegie  Endowment 
plan  to  devote  its  income  to  scientific  research  and  to  public 
education  for  the  raising  up  of  a  real  world-opinion  favorable 
to  peace.  When  this  is  accompHshed,  the  present  colossal 
armaments  will  tumble  down  of  themselves. 

In  addition  to  the  agencies  just  mentioned,  an  effective  propa- 
ganda is  carried  on  by  nirmerous  peace  societies,  national  and 
international,  by  the  Department  of  State  in  Washington,  bv 
newspapers,  and  by  a  powerful  anti-militarist  literature  which 
is  compelling  people  to  think.  Editions  of  Norman  AngeU's 
"  The  Great  Illusion  "  appeared  simultaneously  in  London, 
New  York,  Paris,  Leipsic,  Copenhagen,  Madrid,  Borga  (Fin- 
land), Leyden,  Turin,  Stockholm,  and  Tokio.     Large  numbers 


326  The  Modern  Church  ^''°'' 

of  men  and  women  in  every  coimtry  in  Europe  have  accepted 
the  views  presented  in  this  book. 

Last,  but  not  least,  is  the  work  done  among  the  churches  by 
the  Commission  on  Peace  and  Arbitration  appointed  by  the 
Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America.  The 
pulpits  represent  the  Prince  of  Peace  whose  message  faithfully 
delivered  blazes  the  path  by  which  the  nations  can  enter  at 
length  into  the  blessings  of  imiversal  peace. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

{1)  Angell:  The  Great  Illusion,  A  Study  of  the  Relation  of  Military 
Power  in  Nations  to  their  Economic  and  Social  Advantage.  {2)  Chitten- 
den: War  or  Peace,  A  Present  Duty  and  a  Future  Hope.  (5)  Novicow: 
War  and  lis  Alleged  Benefits.  (4)  Butler:  The  International  Mind,  an 
Argument  for  the  Judicial  Settlement  of  International  Disputes.  (<5) 
Noyes:  The  Winepress.  {6)  Schvan:  "  Anglo-Saxon  Co-operation  and 
Peace  "  in  North  American  Review,  December,  1913.  (7)  Knight:  "  The 
Discomfiture  of  the  Danes,"  in  Everybody' s  Magazine,  March,  1914.  {8) 
For  information  about  the  Church  Peace  Union,  founded  by  Andrew 
Carnegie  by  a  gift  of  one  million  dollars,  write  to  90  Bible  House,  New 
York  City.  {9)  Palmer:  "  The  Last  Shot,"  a  novel  picturing  the  horrors 
that  would  inevitably  result  from  a  great  modern  war.  A  strong  argument 
for  peace. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  reasons  why  the  complete  exclusion  of  the 
Bible  from  public  schools  has  been  advocated? 

2.  Should  this  take  place,  to  what  extent  would  the  schools  still  remain 
centers  of  moral  and  rehgious  instruction? 

3.  To  what  extent,  and  in  what  way,  can  the  churches  promote  moral 
and  religious  influences  in  the  public  schools? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  Describe  the  changing  world-opinion  respecting  war. 


2.  What  benefits  are  said  to  accrue  to  the  human  race  from  war? 


3.  How  are  wars  said  to  benefit  individual  nations? 


4.  How  is  the  spirit  of  war  said  to  be  related  to  human  nature? 


Fifty-one  World  Peace  327 

5.  How  does  the  demonstrated  effect  of  modern  war  on  the  belligerents 
affect  the  question  of  peace? 


6.  How  does  the  vast  development  of  modern  industries  bear  on  the 
continuance  of  wars? 


7.  How  does  credit  act  as  a  restraint  on  war? 


8.  How  is  the  continuance  of  war  going  to  be  affected  by  the  awakening 
of  the  laboring  classes? 


9.  To  what  extent  has  arbitration  prevented  wars  during  the  last  century; 


10.  Mention  some  of  the  results  brought  about  by  the  Hague  Confer- 
ences. 


11.  Mention  some  other  developments  in  connection  with  the  peace 
movement. 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  Are  the  constantly  growing  armaments  of  civilized  nations  leading 
toward  national  bankruptcy? 

2.  The  debts  of  the  leading  nations  of  Europe  amount  to  between  twenty- 
five  and  thirty  thousand  millions  of  dollars,  mostly  incurred  for  military 
expenditures.  What  prospect  is  there  that  they  wiU  ever  be  paid,  seeing 
that  they  are  constantly  growing? 

3.  The  cost  of  a  modern  battleship  has  risen  to  fifteen  millions  of  dollars 
or  more.  Its  annual  upkeep  costs  a  million  of  dollars.  In  twenty  years, 
if  it  lasts  so  long,  it  becomes  so  much  junk.  Give  a  few  estimates  of  what 
this  expenditure  would  produce  if  devoted  to  constructive  instead  of 
destructive  work. 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

Why  is  the  United  States  in  a  position  to  lead  in  the  movement  for 
world  peace? 


328  The  Modern  Church  ^^^^^" 

Lesson  52.     CHURCH  MEMBERS  AS  VOTERS. 

Scripture   Reading:  Opposing   Corrupt   Power.     Mt.    14:  1-6. 

Note  1.  The  Practical  Outcome  of  Lessons  40-51.  In  this 
course  of  Lessons  on  The  Modem  Church  we  advanced  from  a 
study  of  the  local,  everyday  activities  of  individual  churches, 
to  a  study  of  the  movements  and  methods  that  have  led  the 
churches  to  co-operate  in  solving  problems  presented  by  certain 
social  classes  and  conditions.  In  extending  our  survey  we  next 
considered  "  the  church  working  through  various  agencies  " 
outside  of  the  church  organizations  and  vitally  related  to  them, 
but  designed  to  do  work  that  no  single  church  or  even  denomina- 
tion can  undertake.  Finally,  the  lessons  of  this  quarter  have 
brought  to  our  attention  the  relation  of  the  churches  to  those 
vast  social  problems  of  not  merely  national,  but  world-wide 
significance,  that  are  creating  a  new  social  order,  and  marking 
the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  human  progress.  These  problerns 
in  one  form  or  another  involve  direct  or  indirect  political  action. 
In  determining  the  nature  of  this  action  every  voter,  in  virtue 
of  the  franchise,  becomes  in  some  measure  responsible.  The 
most  effective  way  in  which  he  can  make  his  influence  felt  is 
by  the  ballot.  The  manifest  duty  of  every  citizen,  and  espe- 
cially of  every  Christian  man,  is  to  use  the  ballot,  not  in  a  blind 
or  partisan  way,  but  with  a  clear  imderstanding  of  the  moral 
issues  that  are  involved  in  perhaps  every  political  question. 

Note  2.  The  Meaning  of  Democracy.  When  Abraham 
Lincoln  closed  his  immortal  Gettysburg  address  with  the 
words,  "  that  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  and  for 
the  people,  shall  not  perish  from  the  earth,"  he  might  with 
greater  brevity,  but  with  less  force,  have  said,  *'  that  democracy 
shall  not  perish  from  the  earth."  An  ideal  democracy  is 
"  government  of  the  people,"  that  is,  of  free  and  equal  citizens, 
not  subjects;  it  is  government  **  by  the  people,"  rather  than  by 
any  single  person  or  combination  of  persons,  who  regard  them- 
selves as  divinely  called  to  rule  the  masses ;  and  it  is  government 
*'  for  the  people,"  that  is,  for  their  highest  welfare,  rather  than 
for  the  aggrandizement  of  a  privileged  few.  A  democratic 
government,  then,  comprises  all  the  individuals  within  any 
given  territory.  The  simplest  form  is  that  of  the  New  England 
town  meeting.  All  the  voters  assemble  and  directly  choose  the 
town  officers,  and  enact  such  rules  or  laws  as  may  be  needed. 
But  when  the  town  has  grown  into  a  great  city,  or  a  number  of 
towns  into  a  State,  and  a  number  of  States  into  a  nation,  the 


pif^y-'''^o  Church  Members  as   Voters  329 

people  can  no  longer  meet  in  a  vast  assembly  for  the  adminis- 
tration^of  public  affairs.  Then  the  method  of  representation  is 
adopted  in  order  to  give  them  all  a  voice  in  the  government .  Cit y 
councils,  State  legislatures,  national  congresses  are  composed  of 
men  chosen  for  the  express  purpose  of  framing  laws  pertaining  to 
Hfe,  liberty,  property,  order,  crime,  p)eace,  and  war.  Other 
departments  of  government,  the  executive  and  the  judicial,  are 
composed  of  men  chosen  to  enforce  the  laws,  or  to  pass  on  their 
constitutionality.  A  true  democracy,  accordingly,  is  a  govern- 
ment in  which  the  voice  of  every  citizen  is  heard  directly  or 
indirectly  in  the  decision  of  all  questions  that  pertain  to  the 
public  welfare. 

Note  3.  What  a  Democracy  Demands.  Since  a  democratic 
form  of  government  is  carried  on  by  the  voice  of  the  people,  the 
primary  requisite  is  that  this  voice  shall  have  intelligent  and 
honest  expression.  Only  an  intelligent  people  is  fit  for  self- 
government.  The  people  must  be  not  only  able,  but  willing  to 
inform  themselves  respecting  the  reasons  for  or  against  any 
given  measure  or  policy,  so  as  to  vote  intelligently.  Further- 
more, the  men  who  are  elected  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of  the 
people  must  be  honest  men,  honestly  chosen.  If  bribery  or 
intimidation  takes  place  at  the  polls,  so  that  corrupt  men  are 
elected  for  positions  of  public  trust,  then  legislative  halls  will 
be  filled  with  men  who  can  be  depended  on  to  pass  laws  that  will 
favor  private  interests  at  the  expense  of  the  people,  the  courts 
will  pervert  justice,  and  the  police  will  protect  malefactors  in- 
stead of  protecting  society.  Manifestly  it  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  that  the  people  take  a  direct  personal  interest  in 
the  government,  to  see  to  it  that  only  good  men  are  chosen  for 
office,  and  tmfaithful  men  are  rebuked  and  punished.  Every 
voter,  therefore,  is  ultimately  responsible  for  the  kind  of  gov- 
ernment, righteous  or  corrupt, 'that  administers  public  affairs, 
and  a  democracy  above  ever}^  other  form  of  government  has  a 
right  to  demand  of  every  citizen  the  utmost  fidelity  in  the 
discharge  of  his  political  duties. 

Note  4.  Why  Democratic  Govermnent  Fails.  In  the  evo- 
lution of  human  government  a  pure  democracy  such  as  Lincoln 
described  is  the  end  rather  than  the  beginning  of  the  process. 
The  primitive  form  was  always  the  rule  of  the  one  over  the  many. 
It  rested  on  might  rather  than  right.  The  ruler  was  a  law  imto 
himself.  Hence  all  ancient  governments  were  despotisms  and 
the  people  virtually  slaves.     The  fight  for  freedom  has  been 


330  The  Modern  Church  ^«^°» 

long  and  fierce,  and  the  price  paid  in  suffering  and  blood  has 
been  ^appalling.  The  political  fruits  of  these  age-long  conflicts 
we  enjoy  today  in  the  liberties  inherited  from  our  ancestors. 
The  most  saddening  phenomenon  in  our  democratic  govern- 
ment is  not  the  fact  that  thieves  get  into  office  and  rob  the  peo- 
ple. We  do  not  expect  righteousness  from  pickpockets  and 
burglars.  The  saddening  wonder  is  that  there  are  so  many 
men  who  so  .little  value  their  political  privileges  as  to  neglect 
the  simple  and  most  fundamental  duty  of  a  citizen — the  ballot. 
If  these  men  were  the  most  ignorant,  it  would  not  be  surprising, 
but  when  they  are  most  intelligent  and  well  to  do  it  seems 
unaccountable.  In  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  Massa- 
chusetts, Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania  and  Delaware  about  thirty  per  cent  of  those 
entitled  to  vote  fail  to  do  so.  Even  a  presidential  election  fails 
to  call  out  more  than  sixty-five  per  cent  of  the  voters  in  the 
country  at  large.  To  this  '*  silent  vote  "  is  due  in  large  measure 
the  ease  with  which  corrupt  politicians  are  able  to  work  their 
will  and  create  conditions  that  become  a  scandal  to  the  city, 
State,  or  nation. 

If  the  number  of  voters  who  fail  to  show  up  at  the  polls  is 
shamelessly  large,  the  nu.mber  who  keep  clear  of  the  primaries 
is  far  greater.  Usually  only  a  small  per  cent  are  present,  and 
these  are  sure  to  represent  the  worst  elements  in  the  community. 
Yet  here,  more  than  at  the  polls,  the  real  issues  are  decided. 
Here  the  slates  are  made  up,  and  candidates  pledged  to  support 
any  iniquity  are  nominated.  Here  the  political  boss  and  the 
ward  heelers  are  as  conspicuous  by  their  presence  and  activity 
as  the  "  good  "  people  are  by  their  absence.  Only  in  rare 
instances  do  the  patriots  who  go  to  the  polls  break  away  from 
the  dictation  of  the  primary. 

The  excuses  usually  given  for  .this  wicked  neglect  of  political 
duties  are  that  men  are  so  busy  with  their  own  affairs,  that 
they  have  no  time  for  politics,  or  that  politics  is  such  a  dirty 
mess  that  they  shrink  from  defiling  themselves  with  it.  They 
are  blind  to  the  fact  that  politics  become  a  filthy  pool  only 
because  a  large  part  of  the  voters  is  too  busy  or  too  good  to 
keep  in  S3mipathetic  touch  with  public  affairs  and  to  keep  these 
affairs  from  becoming  the  prey  of  grafters,  spoilsmen,  boodlers, 
and  thieves. 

Note  5.    What  Church  Members  Can  Do  in  the  Matter. 

Christian  men  above  all  others  should  take  an  active  interest  in 


Fifty-iwo  Church  Members  as   Voters  331 

politics,  and  hold  themselves  ready  to  render  any  public  service 
that  may  be  laid  upon  them.  They  profess  to  stand  for  per- 
sonal righteousness.  To  stand  for  civic  righteousness  is  no  less 
a  duty.  When  good  men  cease  being  good  for  nothing  and 
become  good  for  something,  government  will  become  repre- 
sentative of  the  better,  if  not  the  best,  ideas  of  the  commtmity. 

A  Christian  man  should  keep  a  watchful  eye  on  public  affairs, 
on  public  men,  and  on  men  who  aspire  to  office.  He  should  not 
be  a  blind  partisan  assimiing  that  all  poHtical  virtues  dwell  in 
his  own  party  and  all  vices  in  the  other.  He  should  esteem  his 
duty  to  the  State  as  important  as  any  that  he  owes  to  the  church. 
He  should  be  as  regular  at  the  polls  as  the  minister  is  in  his 
pulpit.  The  ballot  gives  the  ultimate  and  imperative  expres- 
sion to  public  opinion  respecting  every  form  of  social  wrong — 
civic  corruption,  the  exploitation  of  children  in  factories  and 
mines,  the  saloon  with  its  attendant  evil  of  prostitution,  gam- 
bling in  all  its  forms,  the  unjust  treatment  of  labor,  imsanitary 
tenements,  schools,  unjust  treatment  of  immigrants,  and  the 
perversion  of  public  ownership  to  private  gain. 

Every  Christian  man  has  an  opportunity  to  help  in  hastening 
the  complete  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  It  may  be  only  a 
little  that  he  can  do,  but  every  little  tells.  Every  single  leaf 
helps  to  make  the  forest  green.  Besides,  no  man  knows  just 
how  much  his  effort  may  accompHsh.  It  was  only  a  pebble 
that  David  hurled  at  the  Philistine  giant,  but  it  turned  the 
tide  of  victory  for  Israel.  Instead  of  idly  bemoaning  the 
degeneracy  of  the  times,  lend  a  hand  and  make  them  better. 

*'  Say  not  the  days  are  evil — who's  to  blame? 
And  fold  the  hands  and  acquiesce — O  shame! 
Stand  up,  speak  out  bravely  in  God's  name." 

In  conclusion,  and  as  simiming  up  the  principles  that  should 
govern  all  Chiistian  voters,  the  following  suggestions  are 
submitted  by  Professor  Coe : 

{!)  Whenever  property  interests  are  opposed  to  the  welfare 
of  human  beings,  vote  for  humanity. 

{2)  Whenever  any  class  of  the  populace  seeks  to  control 
legislation  or  administration,  vote  for  the  whole  people. 

{3)  Vote  against  secrecy  and  for  publicity  in  all  matters, 
whether  pohtical  or  economic,  that  affect  the  general  welfare. 

(4)  Vote  steadily  for  the  measures  that  raise  the  standard  of 
living,  and  against  aU  measures  that  have  the  effect  of  main- 
taining low  standards  of  living  in  any  class  of  the  populace. 


332  The  Modern  Church  ^«^^« 

Vote  for  the  extension  and  improvement  of  education;  for 
public  provision  for  recreation,  social  fellowship,  literary  and 
artistic  culture.  Vote  for  high  standards  in  housing,  hours  and 
conditions  of  labor,  safety  and  sanitation,  protection  against 
unemployment,  sickness,  and  old-age  poverty. 

{5)  Vote  for  the  measures  that  locate  responsibilities  most 
definitely. 

(6)  Vote  for  the  measures  that  bring  the  ultimate  responsi- 
bility for  good  government  close  to  the  conscience  of  the  voter. 
Make  the  people  assume  as  duties  what  they  claim  as  rights. 

ADDITIONAL  READING  REFERENCES. 

(1)  Taylor:  "  The  Church  and  Civic  Education,"  in  Religious  Educa- 
tion, October,  1910,  pp.  385-390.  (2)  Munger:  On  the  Threshold,  pp.  23- 
25.  (5)  Nash:  "  The  Adult  Bible  Class  and  Christian  Citizenship,"  in 
Official  Report  of  Thirteenth  International  S.S.  Convention,  pp.  304-308.  (4) 
Tucker:  "  The  Sacredness  of  Citizenship,"  in  Proceeding  of  Third  Con- 
vention of  the  Religious  Education  Association,  pp.  56-60. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  reasons  urged  for  the  continuance  of  wars? 
What  are  some  of  the  reasons  urged  against  war? 

3.  How  is  the  attitude  of  the  laboring  classes  toward  war  likely  to  affect 
its  future? 

4.  Among  the  agencies  now  working  for  universal  peace,  which  do  you 
consider  the  most  promising? 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  LESSON. 

1.  What  is  meant  by  a  democracy? 


2.  When  is  democratic  government  direct? 


3.  When  does  it  become  representative? 


4.  Why  is  intelligence  needed  in  democratic  citizenship? 


5.  Why  is  honesty  needed? 


Pifty-iwo  Church  Members  as   Voters  833 

6.  What  has  been  the  price  paid  for  our  poHtical  liberties? 

7.  What  class  in  the  community  values  them  least? 

8.  Why  is  attendance  on  the  primaries  vitally  important? 

9.  How  do  the  more  favored  classes  excuse  their  neglect  of  civic  duties? 

10.  Why  should  Christian  men  above  all  others  be  faithful  in  this  respect? 

11.  Mention  some  ways  in  which  they  can  promote  civic  righteousness? 


SUBJECTS  FOR  SPECIAL  STUDY  AND  NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1.  What  proportion  of  the  voters  in  your  town,  city,  or  State  fail  to 
appear  at  the  polls? 

2.  Does  ybur  pastor  ever  admonish  his  church  members  respecting  their 
duties  in  this  respect? 

3.  What  is  the  attitude  of  the  church  people  in  your  neighborhood 
toward  politics?     Toward  corrupt  officials? 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION. 

Should  a  church  member  absent  himself  from  the  church  prayer  meeting 
in  order  to  attend  a  political  caucus? 


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